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Sven

Member Laureate

since 1999-11-23

Posts 14937
East Lansing, MI USA

0 posted 2002-04-26 03:27 PM

*This is the Homily from my Mass for Peace in Our Time, and yes, it's long*

Note: a time for Peace is for 5 speakers (4 men, 1 woman).  They are Soldier 1,2 and 3; the Celebrant, and Peace.  They are set before the audience as best as possible with Peace being as far offstage as possible.

C: in the beginning was the Word

P: I was that word

C: and the Word was with God

P: born at the beginning of time

C: and the Word was with God

P: and we walked the planes of time and eternity
together as one body, as one spirit
the universe , full of wonder and mystery, was ours

C: we looked down upon the created world
at the fields of green, the oceans of blue

P: and I smiled, knowing that my time would always be
and it was
the world grew and changed before my eyes
but, I remained still in the heart and the mind of all

C: until that one day
the day where the red came into our view
that angry red
the red of something new, something unknown

P&C: the red of war

S1: Gentlemen, they tell us that we cannot live as we may
they say that we must adhere to their new rules of life
they would think us a group of backward people
who cannot speak and think for ourselves
they would rule us Gentlemen, they would rule us
and take away what is rightfully ours
well, I for one will not let them take my life away
I will fight Gentlemen!
I will fight with whatever is at my grasp
and, should nothing be there, then I will take my hands
and fight them until my hands are of use no more
but then, and only then Gentlemen, shall I quit the fight
for they will not win, they cannot win
we are the stronger, for God is with our cause
and His will shall be our own, and with Him
we will be victorious

the time for talk is now over Gentlemen
for we have spoken until our words fell upon unhearing ears
and because those ears now refuse to hear our cause
we will now take up the rifle and the cannon
where we had once taken up the rake, the hoe, the pen
we will now take these up and they will speak for us
they will hear us then Gentlemen
they will hear our words, and listen
or they will hear their own screams, and die

P: but, they only things that were heard
were the voices of their own people
not in screams, but in weeping and lamenting
and in a terror never before known

and I heard them,  I wept as they wept
I felt their pain as they did
and I spoke to them, welcomed them to their rest
a rest that they did not deserve
but a rest that was better than what they knew

C: and I wept
I wondered why only the suffering could hear my voice
for they were not they ones I was speaking to
I spoke to those who held the guns
to those who ordered the soldiers
but this did not happen, they did not hear me
they heard the voice of greed
               the voice of anger
                   the voice of sorrow
voices that spoke louder than mine
and in a language that was more readily understood

S2: they sent me away
they placed my name on a card
and sent me away
and I went
I went to serve and to uphold
I went to fight
for in fighting was the only way to defend
my way of life
       our way of life
they needed to see that their way wasn’t right
that in our way, people were free
free to think and do and be as they pleased
and not held like so many prisoners
prisoners not only of their own lives
but of the lives of others
all for “the good of the party”
and yet, they lived here among this
the cold and the hot and the filth
and we, what are we?
visitors?
defenders of a peace that most of these
    will never see?
or, are we merely pawns?
pawns on the chessboard of war
    moved by kings unseen?

C: there is a time to be born, and a time to die
a time for war, and a time for peace

S1/S2/S3: a time for war

P: and a time for peace

S1/S2/S3 (louder): a time for war

P(quieter): and a time for peace

S1/S2/S3 (shouting): a time for war

P(whispering): and a time for peace

S3: the time has come, the time is now
our hand has been forced, the time for talk is done
we must now take up arms against our enemy
they have struck, we must now strike back
for that is the way of things
every strike deserves a retaliation
we must return to them what they have done to us
     and we must do it tenfold
this is the balance of power that we must maintain
a power that both of us want
but that neither of us can ever have
for power held by one is absolute
     and we all know the downfalls of absolute power
so, since we cannot hold all of the power
     we grudgingly share it with our enemies
         but, we dare not let them have the upper hand
             (and, they dare not let us have it either)
so, here we are, at opposite ends of the same bridge
trying desperately to keep our side up
     so we can knock their side down
to then cross it

P: and so, the time has come, the time of my loss
a time where the world only knew pain
a time that I could only stand by and watch
powerless, for my voice could not be heard
my lone voice, alone in the dark, wept and moaned
    grieved for my sons and my daughters
        lost to that ultimate darkness

C: the price of their lives they cost for what some
       would dare use my name
but, it is not who I am
     for I do not demand the price of a life
          to achieve my means
all I ask for, is for one to be in service to me
     in service to my cause and being
so that in giving life, life is received

P: and when life is received
     life continues
and when life continues
     I am found

and where I am found
so too is found the Light
     the Light that confounds the darkness
           but that would not exist without it
for even in the end, the balance must be
it is the thing that has been since the beginning

S1/S2/S3: blessed are the peacemakers

P: for you shall be called the Children of God

S1: Children of the Light

S2: Keepers of the Flame

S3: Followers of Peace

P: for all are one, and one is all
                                  in my sight
and I shall always be
through you
I shall always be
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world.

[This message has been edited by Sven (04-26-2002 03:30 PM).]

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

1 posted 2002-04-26 03:41 PM

Sven I wish it were a time for peace...it seems to be a time for reckoning...James

Enchantress
Member Empyrean

since 2001-08-14

Posts 35113
Canada eh.

2 posted 2002-04-26 03:54 PM

...Amen...

Gentle Spirit
Member Patricius

since 2000-10-09

Posts 13989

3 posted 2002-04-26 03:57 PM

adding my Amen to Nancy's...well done.

Like a red brick,
in a white wall
somebodies brush
forgot to paint...
lonely....(as sung by Tracy Lawrence..)

catalinamoon

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-06-03

Posts 9543
The Shores of Alone

4 posted 2002-04-26 07:14 PM

If only peace would come, you are surely doing your part.
Sandra

Mistletoe Angel

Member Empyrean

since 2000-12-17

Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon

5 posted 2002-04-26 07:22 PM

BRAVO!!! Amen!!! Yes, yes, blessed are the peacemakers and those who buture and keep the flame going! (BIG HUGGGSSSSSSS) May we all as children of God forever remain close to Him and work to establish peace in one another worldwide! (sigh) This is excellent, sweet friend, God Bless You, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Sven, thank you for sharing!

May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

Lone Wolf
Member Ascendant

since 2000-03-16

Posts 5842
Lansing, MI USA

6 posted 2002-04-26 11:34 PM

Very nicely done, Sven. It's nice to see you writing these again. I think you're wonderful at them.

Excellent work!

All writing comes
by the grace of God.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Greeneyes

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-09-09

Posts 9903
In Your Poetic Mind

7 posted 2002-04-27 02:10 AM

S1/S2/S3: blessed are the peacemakers

P: for you shall be called the Children of God

S1: Children of the Light

S2: Keepers of the Flame

S3: Followers of Peace

blessed are the peacemakers---

again "Be still and Know that I am God" comes to mind....this within its self is so peaceful to read...a Master piece...

Lauren~

~Sinking fast into
an ocean of you,
what if I told you,
what if I said
that I love you
do we dare cross
that line between your
heart and mine~

Magicmystery
Senior Member

since 2002-02-13

Posts 821
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

8 posted 2002-04-27 03:39 AM

Your story / play brought me to tears.... it is such an ugly truth what times we live in today.... When will there ever be PEACE?

wishing you Love, Light and PEACE,

Sherry

Cherish the good memories past and look forward to the adventure called Tomorrow.
But above all... be kind to yourself today.

tracie66
Member Elite

since 2000-01-18

Posts 4713
Australia

9 posted 2002-04-27 04:22 AM

a time for peace....for sure my dear friend. Thanks dear Sven for sharing this with us and yes blessed are the peace makers ~HUGS~

Sven
Tracie

Love is the life of the soul...
It is the harmony of the universe

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

10 posted 2002-04-27 06:44 AM

You gave this a lot of depth and instantly pulled us into not only into a dialogue, but gave the characters a real feel. I would like one day to see our poet friends act this one out. Will, meet Sven. Sven, Will. Now you two go and take a bit of walk, talk a while, get to know each other....

Congratulations, Sven!

Temptress

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-06-15

Posts 7136
Mobile, AL

11 posted 2002-04-27 03:17 PM

learninglearninglearning!
*sigh*
I wish I could understand these as a whole, but I do know your heart seems to come through as usual. That is enough to draw me in.

How grave is my condition, for I cannot find the words to say, I need you so.
~Sarah MacLachlan~

paladin

Senior Member

since 2001-08-05

Posts 930
Pensacola,Fl.

12 posted 2002-04-27 04:15 PM

A true warrior hates war and loves peace.He prays for un-employment and yearns to make mankind his profession.

paladin

Marsha

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-07-10

Posts 7423
Maidstone Kent England

13 posted 2002-04-27 06:54 PM

AD darling boy I’m speechless, totally awed by the power of this. There’ll be no fancy phrases, not flowing lines of careful script, yes me saying

STUNNING

Love and warm stuff
As always
Mushy

To give light to them that sit in darkness..... to guide our feet into the way of peace Luke 2:79

[This message has been edited by Marsha (04-27-2002 06:54 PM).]

strbbux
Member Elite

since 2001-12-19

Posts 3859

14 posted 2002-04-27 07:16 PM

Very uplifting sven, Peace, if only. When? We continue to pray for it daily. floria

Floria

"Alas for those that never sing,
But die with all their music in them"
(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

Sven

Member Laureate

since 1999-11-23

Posts 14937
East Lansing, MI USA

15 posted 2002-04-29 03:34 PM

thank you all so much my friends. . . your reading of this has made my day. . .

yes, this is the Homily (the "Sermon") from my Mass for Peace in Our Time. . . it's my setting of a complete Roman Catholic Mass, with words and one day, music. . .

Sunshine, I hope that one day, I can find others who will help me perform this. . . that would truly be amazing. . .

paladin, your words ring very true Sir, thank you for sharing them. . .

James, I wish the same my friend. . .

Enchantress and GS, those are all that I need. . .thank you. . .

Sandra, we all must do what we can. . . and soon, it will be. . .

Noah, I know that you understand, probably more than most, what needs to be done. . . let the heart continue my friend. . .

LW, thank you. . . it's what I do best. . .

Lauren, thank you. . . it's what I'm trying for. . . peace to the mind, and the soul. . .

Sherry, soon my friend. . . soon. . . thank you. . .

tracie, thank you so much for reading my friend. . . I will always smile seeing your name. . .

Temptress, you really don't have to understand the form of the Mass, just know that all these pieces go together. . . and pray with me. . . thanks. . .

Marsha, thank you as always love. . .

strbbux, that is all that we can do. . . and know that our prayers will be answered one day. . . thank you. . .

-----------------------------------------------------

To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world.

NapalmsConstantlyConfused

Senior Member

since 2001-05-15

Posts 529

16 posted 2002-04-30 12:57 PM

very good
-Dave

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

17 posted 2002-04-30 03:57 AM

MY GOD SVEN! I AM completely in AWE! You should write screenplays friend! This is awesome and I can see it on a stage!

[This message has been edited by passing shadows (04-30-2002 03:58 AM).]

Sven

Member Laureate

since 1999-11-23

Posts 14937
East Lansing, MI USA

18 posted 2002-04-30 04:20 PM

Dave, thanks. . . thought that it was time for me to write a long one. . .

passing shadows, thank you so much. . . your reply is wonderful. . . I don't know about seeing this on the stage. . . but, I hope that it makes an impact. . .

----------------------------------------------------------

To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world.

Janette

Member Elite

since 2001-07-20

Posts 2843
Chicagoland for now

19 posted 2002-05-01 02:59 AM

I wish to add my praises to your vast remarkable piece of work presented here.

An "Amen" seems appropriate to me

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