The Music of Poetry - The Pain That plagues Creation

Hello, Poetry Fridayers.

On the Poetry Friday that took place on June 30th, 2022.  I shared the inaugural Poetry of Music post and stated I wanted to share songs that were more like poems set to music about once a month or so.  6 months later, here I am sharing the next installment. I landed a lot closer to the or so part of my prognostication than the once a month part.  

Today's song comes from the  late Mark Heard, producer, singer, songwriter, and poet all wrapped into one.  Mark Heard died in the Summer of 1992 a few weeks after having a heart attack while performing at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnell, Illinois.

My last post contained a bit of a lament on some of  the present difficulties associated with my life at this  time.  The Pain That Plagues Creation is a haunting  reminder that while  life is  fraught with difficulty it also equally fraught with hope.. 

The Pain That Plagues Creation

By Mark Heard

As this planet falls around the sun

Trapping us in the orbit

Creation groans in unison

Like a race of frightened orphans

The darkness of this raging storm 

Is covering up our portals

But a yearning for the light is born

In the heart of every mortal

And day to day we ache

With the pain that plagues creation

Night to night we lie awake

And await its restoration

Heaven knows our lonely ways

Heaven knows our sorrows

Heaven knows the things that we don't know

And the joy of eternal tomorrows

But through this glass we dimly see

This world as it was made

And the good we know must surely flow

From the heart of a kind creator

And day to day we ache

With the pain that plagues creation

Night to night we lie awake

And await its restoration

So hold on in this restless age

And do not fear your shadow

Your alternating tears and praise

Are prayers that surely will matter

And day to day we ache

With the pain that plagues creation

Night to night we lie awake

And await its restoration

 The Pain that Plagues Creation appears on the Mark Heard album, Eye of the Storm.  You can find the lyrics by clicking here.

Thanks for Catherine Flynn for hosting this weeks Poetry Friday at Reading To The Core.  

Thanks also to my wife Amy for listening to me read the lyrics to her even though we had already said good night.  

Love, Dave