As the River of the Valleys

As the river of the valleys
          Bring the land into sea,
As a breeze beneath the sunshine
          Laces dust into a tree,
As the winds across the mountains
          Breathe a song of what will come,
So the spider weaves our memories
          In our brothers and our sons.

          Chorus:
          Now the wisdom of the spider
                    Links us to our disp'rate parts:
          Having spun our unseen journey,
                    Carries love to aching hearts;
          Weaves the wild into our cities,
                    And our gardens to our gates,
          Weaves our fences to our freedom
                    And our footsteps into grace.

As a needle stitches fabric
          Making one what once was two;
As a feast that's blessed in trouble
          Feeds our hope and makes us new;
As a dam that breaks its holding
          Sets the river free and bright:
May the spider weave the waiting
          Of our souls into the night.          Chorus

There's a shadow cast by wisdom:
          May you rest within its shade.
There's an artistry in living:
          May its power never fade.
There's a death-affirming blessing
          Rising from the songs of earth:
Like the dawn of dappled wonder
          Be you woven in rebirth.             Chorus

Copyright © 2006 James Lawer