Songs from a

Quest to Peace
Volume 6

Copyright 2014 by Kings of Peace, written by Goss Lindsey

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold for profit. This publication may
be freely distributed in electronic format only. For permission or other requests, write to
the publisher, goss.lindsey@gmail.com. Website: www.kingsofpeace.com

Contents
Songs from a Quest to Peace ......................................................................................... 1
dreams of the elder........................................................................................................... 3
lighthouses ......................................................................................................................... 7
awareness seeking ............................................................................................................. 9
safe we stand ................................................................................................................... 10
prayer to love's extension .............................................................................................. 12
seashells ............................................................................................................................ 14
the two faces of peace ................................................................................................... 16
fuel the heart.................................................................................................................... 18
return to the sea .............................................................................................................. 20
anchor ............................................................................................................................... 22
The Temple ..................................................................................................................... 23
keep knocking ................................................................................................................. 25

dreams of the elder

it was many years ago when he first came
upon sleep or the entrance to it
I would feel him in my heart
and catch glimpses of his face
in the beginning he would gently hold my arm
and in the form of an eagle we would fly
across the lands
the land would change and through his eyes
he could see time before and time to come
roads and buildings were unbuilt before my eyes
until we would see the home of his people
one day he began to speak
very slowly his words would come
so gently would they roll from his lips
his eyes always smiled
and he was a most welcome friend
the story began...
"when I was a boy I was one day to be chief
much I had to learn in the ways of our people
fishing, growing, and hunting
and many songs of our people
the land was full of people like me
we traded our goods and mostly were peaceful
though we fought from time to time
the land held room for us all
but the plentiful lands of fish and animals
were sometimes contended in blood
we had heard of the raiders to come
and they were not like stories we knew
these were men who took everything
who could buy and sell the land
3

and would claim all they wanted for themselves

I grew up in the wings of war itself
I rode a strong horse
and fast like the wind I traveled
anger upon my heart
fearless and proud I rode the plains
my people would follow me
as I loved them deeply
and the land we stood upon
was sacred to my tribe
it was our ancestors and those before them
that fished the very holes we thrived upon still
and farmed the same groves with seed
that fed the bellies of my people
we sat beside the campfire many nights
after the fighting began
many of my people wanted to die here
and fight to make our ancestors proud
it was about this time I began to see time
both before and time to come through the eagle
and I saw these raiders taking our land
and I did not want my people do die
my heart was heavy
and I turned to the Great Spirit every day
for guidance in how my people would be led
my heart was angry still
and hate grew slowly upon the rivers in my face
after blood and more to come from many
I chose that my people would not fight and live
still a young chief
I wept where we were moved
it was not our rivers
we did not know this land like a brother
it felt like a stranger to us
it was about this time I walked many miles every day
4

to be alone and listen to the winds

as the eyes of my people reminded me
of the pain I brought to them
I found little rest with my tribe
one day
the dreams of the elder came to me
he was an old man like you are seeing me
and he could see time unfolding more clearly
than I was able at the time
many tears fell when he came
for I had lost the Great Spirit
and the message to my people
as I too was still angry
the elder showed me in a dream
of all things being eaten by the earth
and my memory of our past life
was sacred but those lands too
did fall in time
the hungry and strong seeking power
always take from the more peaceful
but it took my eyes behind my eyes
to see what they could not take
my tears fell heavy but now they carried
no last wish for a wild bloody ride into the heart
of our enemy
my tears carried the song
and carried the way of the Great Spirit
and for the first time in my life
I slept in stillness and peace
I awoke with the song still singing
they could not take the way
of my people
of our people
they could not take the Great Spirit
from our hearts
5

lighthouses
like lighthouses
let us be placed on the shores
in which we are called upon
to shine
let us remember how many times
lost in our travel the small flicker
of a brother's light through the fog
kept us to shore safely
let me remember today still
on the days of emptiness
one would come to know when they see the many fountains
the city would promise a drink from
yet no longer would we believe it could quench for what we thirst
and for a painful moment we lost the song
from the light within
the hurt is like a riptide taking us
from where we dwell
let me share these words
are a thank you
to a sister who I do not even know
as she stood on the beach shining
I caught a glimpse of her song
and even those small words she wrote
were enough to guide me to land
in the thick fog
before a brother can remember the sun still shines
let us stand as a way to safety
in a dark moment
let me open eyes and walk to the beach
smiling at how many we are
placed where our Father would have us shine
his warmth, love, and peace through us
let us rejoice together
we stand not alone
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only in different places

may our light bear witness
to the miracle we uphold
it would shine of Him
and the limitless light would only run through us
like lighthouses let us bring our brothers home
and when we are lost let us gladly look
for those around guiding us to His voice
shine shine shine
Amen

awareness seeking
awareness seeks itself
longing through eyes
awareness would read a page
not considering the face that carried it
and see the message
for what it is
its filter would be so simple
and its keen eyes cut through
glass walls of temporary and too of truth
like they would be butter
awareness yearns
to find itself in another
and would see it even
when one sees only shades
awareness would remind
and its recognition is enough
sometimes it can feel alone
in places where eyes cannot notice
and it breathes again into the very cord
that holds to its creator
that it sometimes would want to shake
and watch the glass walls crumble
that it sometimes would want to rejoice
to hold smiling with a simple hug
it too must be guided
many know not of it
and fear what it may see
sometimes rising like great waves
to shatter a dream
sometimes sitting alone to smile with
a simple friend sharing its song

safe we stand
how safe we stand
passed what was once was faith
into knowing
how firm our memory rests
as even the birds would be fed
as they follow their heart
to sing and to fly
the dream is of an elder
sitting by my side at a campfire
his words speaking to me as a boy
I only understood a few
but they carried in my heart
like seeds they sat
one day he traveled on
and no longer did I see him
yet his words began to sprout
and the memory of his kindness
soft lines of his years of war
that had turned to the cracks of a smile
and the calmness upon his gaze
held me
how safe he stood
in my dream of one who was still
he stayed with me always
even now I still see his smile
the elder is anyone
they are the faceless appearing as a face
it is the message of healing they carry
resting beneath where they stand
and their lips would speak only of it
blessed was he in my dream
as real of a dream I ever knew
that too I would someday
10

pass my war of what I stood for

and know only of the rock
from which these feet are held
how safe we stand today
thankful for those that carried its memory to us
that we too
would form trace lines of peace
upon our gentle smile

11

prayer to love's extension

this is a prayer
for guidance in the extension of love
like a parent holding an infant
in the most loving moments
like vines the cords of their love engulf
to hold, love, nurture, and smile upon
the little one
sometimes tears form
in the beautiful recognition there would be no limitation
as to what the parent would give
even their very life would not even be a question
if it would save that of the child
and after all of this
we do not know what the child knows of us
our very hearts melted on the floor
while the little one just sleeps
to breathe and steal the warmth
from our chest
we need not the experience of having a child
for to some degree at some point
every one of us has known a parent, lover, or friend
in which our hearts extended in a way
we saw our own gentleness and beauty extending
asking in return nothing
and deep down what we sometimes hope
is that we wish they only knew...
when we pray for peace and our Father enters our hearts
we can see a brother as He would see him through us
and the soft memory of what he is has not been forgotten
this is a prayer to the extension of our feeling
like the infant cannot understand how much they are loved
our mouths feel mute and the words begin to stick
as we stand before a brother and our memory has been completely healed
12

and the Father's love comes through us

we stand as a simple yet beautiful link
in the vast chain of His children
that would allow for love's entry
our hearts sometimes feel like bursting
for we know not what to say
tears well as we look up on one standing exactly where we did
not knowing how much they are loved
not knowing how much they are called upon
and so this may be a prayer
for my and anyone's willingness
again to remember the answer remains the same in all things
even to this
let us step back from our thoughts
and ask for guidance
Father what would you have me say, what would have me do
where would you have me go, what would you have me hear
you are all things through me
all things within me
all things around me
let me look through the soft tear
and release the prayer of how you
would have me extend Your offering of love
Amen

13

seashells
as we walk along the shore
the soft voice of peace speaks to our heart
this sacred union makes seashells
as reminders of His Kingdom
placed in the sand as we walk
in the beginning
we remember sometimes miles of nothing
only our alone and the falling
in places someday we will stand
we remember crawling across the sand
seeking the pages of seashells left by others
wanting and waiting for the reunion
of the sweet stillness in the steps we travel
blessed they return again
as in shyness we cover their very beauty
with sand so they do not shine
not knowing our true Holiness
we know the voice of peace
yet we know too of its loss
and the union is not yet
perfect
how beautiful is the day
where we can only stand
in the places we once fell
how perfect is our trust
that the union is complete
as our Father would guide us
blessed would we walk
and how safe would we travel
that only His word could be left
as seashells are but reminders of his love for us
once we could be lost
and sought the blessed shells others left for us
14

that now the world could take every book

and every shell that would be our memory from us
yet our Father would fail us not
for our perfect union and trust in His way
could never be taken
and forever more soft seashells
we lay

15

the two faces of peace

of peace in the world
a dream born from the dirt and things upon it
that could offer only the same as a solution to its lack
in the form of something of dirt itself
be it food, shelter, a breath of air, or the warm summer sun
thus lack of peace in the seeming outside
must require a solution
quested within the bounds of its worldly garden
that would feed the hungry body
that would quell the firing guns
as the harsh reality is the solution
is never a guarantee
of peace in our heart
resting in the soft closing of our eyes
when time is still and our hearts warm
we see another face of peace
judging not the seeking of it outside
for here lies the guardian of the gates
to look within
to unveil her face requires nothing
from anyone or thing
outside of our willing mind
and so the question would arise
where we look in the mirror and see two faces
of which would we dream?
for when we seek peace in the world we can neglect
the face inside
like a child waiting to be held
and too the face of a mother that would hold us
and when we seek the face of peace within our heart
we cannot but extend this to the world as well
as the peace of God runs through us as a mere vessel
that would only release His offering
as the giver of this is equally the receiver
16

and may we remind a brother where peace

is guaranteed
and relies on nothing
from dirt

17

fuel the heart

in its most basic division
the world of form could be seen as two
the light and the dark
the male and female
the active and receptive
only God is what cannot be divided
for the Holy Spirit is whole
for now we are layered
and can see with different eyes
let this be a song of
the heart seeking itself
as the mind seeks answers
not always knowing its greatest gift
is asking the right questions
as frequency will find the correct receptor
pages and pages it seeks
but some things are understood
in ways outside of a formula
to the soft mother inside I write this
that I would seek and receive her beauty
into my heart
unto peace may we soar
great wings stretched
our minds not knowing how we fly
yet eyes burning in gratitude
for we do
the songs that our heart can hear
may be our fuel to fly
look to the ocean, the poem, or the smile of a brother
and when we see it we remember
it was always inside of us
seek the places that remind us
so we can soar again

18

my prayer is a reminder
another page of knowledge cannot take me home
like birds we fly north
as it is our birthright
let me hear You in my own heart
as my fingers pour upon this very page
when I can smile at the words that come out
let this be my fuel to seek You
I hold no bounds of where I will find You
and will see you as best I can in all things
but let me hold especially dear
the songs, stories, sea and smiles
that fuel my heart to love
we would fear not our own beauty
of the gifts You extend from us
let us not judge our worthiness
to sing of You when it is you singing
through our very heart
for today our smile
may be the fuel
for another brother's
heart to soar

19

return to the sea

swimming among the currents grasping for air
beginning to spiral
how did I forget so easily
of the safe place below
it goes against all reason
air is all this part of me knows
struggling for another breath
forgetting again
like a child I gently hear myself saying
"silly you
don't you know you can breathe
in this place"
I remember the song Amazing Grace
and remember once not understanding
what it meant
grace was the place of peace
in my soft surrender to air
only to open my gills like a fish
that I could swim and learn another way
grace was the entrance
to this once foreign world
and when I am full of its blessing
I can return to float guided by the great current
of Spirit
my prayer is to remember what I am
that I would be a fish and not a man
swimming in this sometimes harsh sea
that I would close my eyes
when the storms around me
show me nothing I seek
let me not become afraid
only to flap my arms to grasp
a quick sip of this
20

volatile air
my prayer is to remember
that breathing You
is all that has kept me safe
today, like a fish
let me dive into your depths
and be still again
Amen

21

anchor
I would take this song
that came from a sacred place
and try to sing it as I felt it
my eyes closed, drifting
past the initial layers of stillness
first I was rock, then I was air
like long talons my arms and legs
extend out into the dirt and sky around me
to hold me in place
but there is no place anymore
there is only God and His aspects
like a river His peace rushes through me
extending into all that I could touch
In awe, I only can watch and stay still
as the flooding heals
I am to do nothing in this moment
I need no more creating
I am in tears to be so safe in His grasp
Gladly I extend what was never from me anyway
like an unlimited resource fueling, reminding
Let me sing what cannot be sung only because it makes me smile
Let me return to the place where I am safe
may we all return to this unshakable place
within Your mind where we are held like an infant
anchored in Your heart
Amen

22

The Temple
I have crawled to this temple tonight
through the mud and over hard iron spiked walls
I have crawled to this sanctuary half dead
just to lie down these few words
it is a harsh reflection that I have seen in this water
because it is the reflection of the truth
my truth
I lie down too tired to fight anymore
too tired to face this crazy world
and most of all I do not know if I can enter myself anymore
without losing my mind forever
I have made it right now to the place that I will die one day
I know this place all too well
the only difference in this time and the next
is a crapshoot of when
but these words etched here
will remain
and with that I drain this current out
son, I say
it has been a long walk a hard walk and sometimes
a happy walk
this will be for you as well
it is our trail of tears in your bloodline
fathers killing sons without ever knowing what they did
son, I cry
may I be the first in our line to heal
and not kill you too as I have been
and my father and his before his
son, I weep
these tears are the pain of this reflection
the hate inside of me of what we have done in our minds
even before you would understand in terms of time
the spike drives in my heart
and I see the hate and anger inside
23

wrenching tearing gutting the live mind

of the drunk and sober alike
father, I pray
give me a chance
give me one final chance at this
and let me drink these waters of this Temple
and see something other than
my hatred and pain

24

keep knocking
in the beginning it can feel like
standing outside the Great Pyramid alone in the vastness
knocking to be let in
so dark, so tired, so unsure
and too that we do not really know what is inside
as our knuckles and fists tire, the way to peace seems lost
behind us runs the world and the ways from which we come
as the sun sets on the last day
we have the strength barely to even stand
yet just before we turn our back
we see a crack
let this crack be enough
the entry to peace is one of willingness
to not be like what is behind us
but what lives within
even if we do not yet know what this is
we hear the chants of our tribe and spirit
to keep knocking
and one day when we see our innocence
and all the things we truly have
which are from what we cannot explain
yet we know them to be true
we remind our brothers
the door to this well of life
will open
keep knocking

25