A Different Kind Of Speaking

Go down to those deep dark places
Down to the ballast of your soul
Escaping any good graces
Which could make you feel holy or whole
Sink deeper I ask 
Then deeper still
Go further 
Further still if you dare
You must believe it can
No—it will—
His Light can even reach there.

Go across and down 
To the bad part of town
Where homes are falling apart
Go deeper 
Walk wrong-er
‘Til you’re not safe any longer
And ‘til worry grips your heart
Keep going 
Until your own ears hear
Kids fussing
Lampposts buzzing
And chain-linked fences appear
In places forgotten
Without even a prayer
His Light can reach even there.

Now go down again
Down deep in your mind
Think of the darkest and worst 
Person you can find
The worst of all
The worst of all time
Whose soul is covered in sin-ister grime
Now they
Yes they!
Are furthest from Him
Their future is hell bound
Grimmest of grim
Are they the worst of people you know?
And most unlovely, as far as people go?
This thought might shock you
And give you a scare:
His Light can reach even there.

We believe it deep down
It needs deep’ning yet
Us religious folk especially
Seem to forget
That He came down—
Yes, deeper than that
He walked in the darkness
With sinners He sat
Ate with the worst of them
Drank with them too
Our very own darkness
He shone right through
—This great truth to herald
This hope now to share:

He reaches straight down







Straight to the bottom.

His Light can even reach there.