Apparition

I saw an apparition of myself
An age old face and tale
She stood outside a crowded house behind a golden veil
And tears were running down her face
Yes tears cascading splashed
And stained her spotless gown of gold
Causing it to rust and crack
Far from all she stood in fear
Far from all she prayed
Unwilling that her spotless gown be made a paupers rag
And from those who saw and did their best
To embrace her hidden pain
To ease her loneliness and fear
To break her heavy chains
She ran…

She ran and threw herself off of a muddy cliff
Then down and down and down she fell
Her bones all out of joint
And no one sought her
No one caught her
For all had turned away
All had given up
For no one could embrace the girl behind the veil of gold
All alone, so lonely
She lay enthroned in mud
Her body bruised and broken
Her dignity clear torn away
Her might, her valour broken
As she lay and mourned the day.

She had rejected with words unspoken
Lacking mercy, grace and love
She had run and come undone
Held fear in close regards
And now lay isolated
Broken and degraded
Dead to all who knew her
Dead to all she was
Then hope embraced her greatly
A hand reached from above
And with resurrection power
Softly picked her up
Carefully, so gently
He replaced her bones to joint
Carefully, so gently
He wiped the mud away
He blessed
And He softly kissed her lips
Blessed, Holy, Pure
He named her
Blessed, Holy, Pure
And set upon her forehead a defining Holy seal
He filled her mouth with music
He filled her heart with love
And He sent her out.

Be hope to the hopeless
Love to the unloved
Truth to lying tongues
Embrace the unbeliever
Hold the stained, the bruised and unloved
Fear not the scourge of tarnish
Fear not the risk of stain
For all will fear and tremble
At the sound of your Father’s name
And all your faults are forgiven
In the wash of his scarlet rain.