Songs from a

Quest to Peace
Volume 2

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
blink .................................................................................................................................... 3
and with the blows ........................................................................................................... 5
to know another ............................................................................................................... 7
nothing here ...................................................................................................................... 8
fighter and a lover........................................................................................................... 10
that beneath my feet....................................................................................................... 12
institutions and rivers..................................................................................................... 14
to move the earth ........................................................................................................... 16
the Living Word.............................................................................................................. 17
the mirror of truth .......................................................................................................... 18
beautiful blossom ........................................................................................................... 20
the captive ........................................................................................................................ 21
may we speak................................................................................................................... 22

blink
a small breath and short blink
green grass passes
another pair of footprints indented
in the soft dew
a small blink and time itself shakes
as the earth I stand upon today
has merged finally into our sun
measuring time in mere orbits makes
a year seem so long
but in a blink of consciousness
it stoops to a mere moment
remembering things and people
I once lived with in argument
giving power away in droves
adhering to laws determining what they may and may not ingest
or what weapons they were allowed to keep to defend our home
war begins in the mind
for it sees another as different
and the rest will follow suit
as too, does peace begin in the mind
for it sees another as the same
and in a blink the merging of all unfolding
in sure time occurs
even the thriving oak beside me, in moments
will be fodder for the earth anew
I wish not to be the judge of moments
as long or short
nor do I wish to war with lies
for perception makes them seem true if we wish
and the governing perception is allowed
to not see past a moment
the notion that Peace could be changed
3

or that which bore me did not

is simply incorrect thus insane
the words and truth may be enough
as until enough see what would be true
the evolution of peace and freedom here
is not possible without a quick blink
another step and a mother duck with three ducklings
come to see if I have food
wishing I did, I can only smile and walk on
blinking I walk here
remembering time beyond and before
for to me it is not a dream but true
In moments,
I will lose all of these things I walk with
and all the things I return home to
some may even be taken from me
by a cold world in a way that opposes
what I would not want to do to another
I blink and I am smiling
when insanity finally made no sense
and though today I seem to have many things
as my legs take another small step
I remember what is really mine
and it is enough
I stand against all violations of freedom
not because I wish to war
but they naturally invade my right
to walk freely on this soft grass
even still I choose not to war but to smile
for losing that is the loss of the memory
that all I have is who I am
gifted by that which no words
could do justice
Amen
4

and with the blows

and with the blows
of a sometimes harsh world
coupled with the blows
from our sometimes harsh selves
sometimes we are struck
from all sides
the worst ones always seem to come
from our own fists
and these we cannot explain
it is a ten round fight
some of us will last only one
and some will go into overtime
if we have not been on the canvas
dizzy and bleeding
we have not known this world
if we have not heard the crowd
some shouting encouragement
and the silence of those who bet against us
we have not known our brothers
and through the pain I have carried
and all the punches I have thrown back
there is only one thing that I would ever ask
to return to
only one thing
It is me smiling in the center of this ring
I find myself thrust into
in the center of this earth, this life, this existence
not understanding often what is happening around me
but I am still smiling
suddenly I remembered myself again
and these hard punches only hurt my body
the cannot make me forget
who I am
5

"hit me if you must", I think

for it is just what the world tends to do
and for just a day may I let my own self
be in peace without my own self battle
sometimes it takes these punches to wake me up
I wish that was not the case
but we are still here and I know this
because we can see these words
the bell has not rung
and with the truth of what we are
and Who we represent may we remember
this world can take nothing we would keep
and with the blows
we will find the strength that rests beneath
the strength of our body alone
we are still smiling
we are still loving
and in this I say Amen
All is safe
All is protected
forever
of the things we can keep.

to know another
to know a man
is to know a woman
as the dark with no light
would be negated by both
yet a man makes a woman
no more than midnight
is birthed by the sun
for both they once danced
and still remain safely
in a song words
will never touch
who would separate the moon from the sun
would take the push from the pull
and knows not of the breath
were both are pulled from
to know another is not to know one
nor even both
not the man or the woman
but the rock and the star
the rise and the fall
nothing can be threatened
nothing can be taken
for we are the ones who
remember
Amen

nothing here
if I had sad eyes
I could look in the mirror sometimes and say with honesty
there is nothing more I seek
the period comes harsh and fierce
like a mine exploding in my heart for a moment
if you could tell me in truth
you have never wondered the same
no, I would not believe you
my father walked a hard mile
before he left I remember still
many things
these are not words of a heavy coat of sorrow
or a glisten of small hope from one we once thought
could define what hope was
but these are words of life and the early
morning sun
moments pass not for a tomorrow
not for a future of difference
but to the memory
tonight I do not write
to coddle sweetly any man
hiding in the air where
the net seeks those willing to dwell
in the depths of ocean
the vein some seek is deep
so deep some would shudder
while others would laugh at the
possibility
no, we know it all as
there is nothing here in front of us
for it was behind
with, and too,
yes in front
8

let me smile upon these keys

let me smash one more key unto the bone
of winter when it chills my fingers until
I cannot even press
one more
my two children you will read this
someday somewhere
and you will smile
Amen

fighter and a lover

no matter. no matter. read on my friend.
what do we love
what do we fight
we love all that is
and fight none
those who deny what the sum would remain forever to be
call us opposition
no
we fight none
they fight us
they kill us
they ridicule us
they govern against us
yet they cannot take one thing
from us
life is long
longer than we would know
smiles are broad and love shines
not for days but for
always
hate can only scare for so long
who would be afraid
of what portions you would force society to levy
of taxes. of pain. of freedom.
none.
the darkness of the world fights
but does not understand what it swings at
for what stands before it is immovable
and indestructible
the lover sits and takes the blows
and sometimes becomes mad or sad
10

but then light remains

and nothing is lost
amen until the end.
amen until one million
one trillion
one billion trillion million eyes
would open
the fighter cannot win
yet the game they play
may continue
the lover has won and will win
and joining
makes us smile unto
our Father
In Christ
Amen

11

that beneath my feet

pins and pikes dug deep
moved her skin to burrow men in arms
fire lit and torches lit the sky above
some would cry for the dolphins
at the lost ways of man
some would feel the pain the earth itself bears
while others cry for our very kind
humans have always laughed
at those who see the millions in graves over
the few thousands of years of recorded history
that they would always say
"this could not happen in a modern world such as today"
does the earth tremble in fear?
no.
does that which bore us of the Holy Spirit tremble His throne may be taken?
no.
would a man who sees beyond today and tomorrow
fear whatever strange things lost children do?
no.
yet the man may weep from time to time today
as does the earth and Her creatures
some say we are to notice the words of truth
as they are words we are not sure if we wrote
or were written by another
In our Father there is no other
and this would remain sound and ring true
love would be shared and increased
love would shine through all misguided hearts
even singing to them too
that beneath my feet
that above my head
would be the same as all men

12

She beckons us to heal

He beckons us to love
If these were my final words of this life
would I pass smiling
my only wish would be I shook
these walls harder
no matter how hard I shake them
I will want for more
one more lock undone
so truth may shine through
yet may I remember the blessing of freedom
as our Father allows for insanity
in a dark strange place that does not invite Him often
as he loves our sovereignty as his children
But I as an equal not to Him but to my brother
I who cannot give or take your will, nor would want
to do such a thing
I who invite all as I have been invited
you can see us because you are us
you can read us because our words are yours
this world cannot bind you because you recognize
you are unbound
and that alone may be
the first gift
beneath my feet, that which bore me
carry me and make me strong
send me to all and increase their strength as mine
may we sing as many
In Christ and Amen

13

institutions and rivers

where men herd men
like neither friends or brothers
and animals are bred and led to slaughter
when my heart is sad because we say we love
both animals and people
mean only the ones we know well
when I have tears I hide
because I am a proud warrior
my heart has sometimes bled enough
but I will not break or point a finger
when injustice strikes me and my heart wants to hate
of men and walls
cold stares and halls
mind trained from the beginning
conditioned until the end
without even knowing what cannot be seen
for one who would laugh at the poet
and claim we could judge
no, gravity is the judge of how high you may rise today
but tomorrow it will not bind you
but your perspective will
of the rivers to you
I sing
the first word was always the last
and the cool breeze remains
my friend
all things made by man can try and lie to me
yet the river would only tell me
what it is true
let our heart melt this world by love
and most of all let it not be frozen
and turned into what we are not
by our institutions
for none can institutionalize the truth of love
14

that which we are and are from,

the body of Christ in which we remain safe,
or the way of the river
Amen

15

to move the earth

a friend is simply
one who rises another up
to all that which lifts
we toast
to the memory stashed away deep inside
that would fly
would try
we smile
we shall move the earth
not with our hands
but with our hearts
and the earth will yield
as it is of us
and knows of our compassion
we shall move one mind
and then we will awaken two
we will storm the seeds of darkness
not with the gloves of a gardener
but with the sunshine of love
what has been written
is still written today
as the Word is alive
and the truth of what we are
cannot be altered
Amen

16

the Living Word

for a man who is deaf and mute
or a man chained in a dark prison
on an island with no influences
and most of all
to all men in all places
hustling across the hard streets
seeking for another dollar
and next thing to do
not one has been abandoned
by the Living Word within
words written by those who carry love
sing, paint, speak, and write
all of the same Word
its only difference is the tint
in language, personality, and rhythm
and every word offered was to be but a reminder
for one to find that which Lives within
memorization is not needed
for it will speak to you always
yet when we read and know the Word within
it amplifies the sounds
and brightens the colors
in a most beautiful song as it rings true
to the Living Word within

17

the mirror of truth

many do not like the possibility that
one way may be correct
yet these wishes do not change
the Law of God
some would defend strange illusions
in fear they would be known
be not afraid
as a human there is one thing we all know
there is one feeling we all share
we know the feeling of trying to hide
in a dark corner shaking alone
as we believed we are guilty
and deserve punishment
in this strange dream
we will remember deep down the feeling
of leaving our Home one distant day ago
some say karma
some say the golden rule
but for those who think they can escape
the mirror that will appear
where all is seen and known
I know only this
only one of us is right
I have shuddered before the mirror
trembled and have memory of almost forgetting
where I was from
as the truth of what occurred was not forgotten
lo with tears did I bear
and wish I had loved more
yet the mirror is not the gavel of man
though our mind is the judge and jury
that cannot stand before our misgivings
and if not again we will break
and we will try to hide
18

not knowing we are loved

the Lord cannot change
the laws of peace remain
fear not when the day comes
we stand witness
to the mirror of all past
and things that once occurred
forgive now
as then
with love do we walk
and those little people in dark circles
my eyes see you
and my tears fall for you
for the mirror of truth
will not escape what you do
and as much pain as you commit
yours shall be
much greater
Amen

19

beautiful blossom
once standing as blades of green grass
did we await our synthesis
that we would feel ashamed
when in the beginning does our heart open
and our colors begin to shine
under the afternoon sun
not as a weed
did we thrive upon the roots
of another
for our story was of the light
and of it we would not take
but freely give
yet still when we saw our own blossom
sometimes so alone
did we feel
no longer solid green
but unique as a reef fish
laden upon the gray corals below
one day we stepped into the colors
boring through our heart
the next only to find a shadow
in which we could hide
our blossoming
our beauty was grown not by us
but by the very light
inside
expressing its own
beautiful blossom
of Love
Amen

20

the captive
and every night the man
walked with his shackles
lain upon his arms and ankles
to the rich man who called him a slave
"would you remove my binds" he asked
as he had asked for so many nights for years
this night the rich man decided
indeed, his slave could be freed
and as his heart opened the gift was given
the rich man reached into his pocket for a key
and stopped in awe
as the man he thought was his slave
was not bound
"why did you come to me for your freedom
if you could have freed yourself all of this time?"
the rich man said
"it has been written", the man said
"I have come to set the captives free,
I was already free but you who thought my captor
was but a captive to your error"
He who came said
"God is for Jews and Gentiles alike"
did not only mean only these people,
but all beings
as God's Law can be broken
but not changed

21

may we speak
may we today
for an instant look into the memories of man
the systems of power and control we have seen over time
and acknowledge the systems do not, nor have
found a simple answer
some have wandered to the sweet shores
by the spring of Peace
for which they have yearned
and we return again into the world
we slowly walk among
may we stand for
nothing other than the truth
and in our stand may we be prepared
to not be understood
that reason is not proprietary
but shared by all unlike an earthly resource
and Love is only intensified
when it is offered
when sending men overseas
we can see our past as we have taken
this land we live upon and many others
as too we sent boats to net other men
and bring them back to us
as slaves
peace is not difficult to see
but the willingness to open our eyes
is necessary
for systems of power do not send any man
with weapons to another land
to benefit anyone but
their own vaults of gold
may we be willing to speak
22

for to them our silence is golden

in both literal and figurative meaning
someday when my children read this
no matter where I will be at that time
let their hearts be encouraged
of the Spring from which
one small voice stood
and spoke
funding wars
electing heartless leaders
borrowing money from men who would indebt my children
and one day will leave us with almost nothing
and lend no more
when we need the gold even for food
may I speak
and the multitude of mouths that may soon follow
be our blessing together
I fight no man
I fight no system
and would let another brother enter into a system of pain
and suffering gladly as the will of our Creator
would give them that right
I only ask we know what we choose
and we may speak
for that which we honor
Amen

23