Places 23: Tall Before Me

Note: I had fun with this one. I’m not sure how inspired it is— the content is quite serious but the words came so quickly that I forgot about the “writer” in me who struggles and searches for the perfect word and just enjoyed the flow of verses moving from my head to the paper. One line followed another like fresh popping corn in a hot well-oiled pan. Once started, I couldn’t stop— I wrote verse after verse.  Checking off Paul’s list of  fleshly lusts, I improvised with the freedom of a happy child on a long automobile ride who has fun making up new verses for a repetitive song like “You Can’t Get to Heaven on Roller Skates.”  The process brought back memories—both of my own childhood and of being the mother of three young songsters. Although briefly edited a bit later, the style of this poem is clearly a light, unpolished, repetitive verse. But OH— the content! The meanings are powerful and sobering—most verses  center on the encounter of imperfect me/us with Jesus’ love. I hope someone will put this one to music— maybe rearrange the order of the verses and mess with the pronouns and words to make it work for them.   (For friends who like to compare, I’ve included the 2011 version at the end.)  Enjoy, and hopefully meet His Love. 

 

Love, tall before me
I’ve nothing to say;
surrendered, I stay
at the feet of a Man
Who is Love.

Love, tall before me
my own mind’s undone,
a new life’s begun
when I turn
to the face of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me
all fears must succumb;
muzzled, bedumbed,
each one’s overcome
with courage from One
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
pride cannot not speak,
humbled and weak
it fades
in the face of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
lies cannot hide
truth rises freely
strong and alive
in the words of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
hate won’t survive;
disarmed by forgiveness,
it dies
at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
all jealousy flees,
all accusers are silent,
I’m finally set free
at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before us,
dissensions will cease
His stillness prevails
till we’re soaked through with peace
in the gaze of a Man
Who is love.

Love tall before me,
ambitions turn stale
dully, they fall and totally fail.
God’s Love now commands
all I have, all I am
all else is sand;
hope grows, faith expands
at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

With Love, tall before me.
filth runs away
nothing impure
will linger or stay.
All evil must bend
to God’s holy ways
at the feet of the Man
Who is love.

Love tall before us
all idols must fall.
tawdry and impotent.
foolish and small,
at the feet of a Man
Who is love

Love tall before us,
heresies falter;
His truth washes through us
Like clear sparkling water.
Blind eyes will open
and deaf ears will hear
at the feet of the Man
Who is love.

Love tall before us,
angers subside,
all wrath melts away;
impatience dissolves
in the light of His day
at the feet of the Man
Who is love.

Love tall before us
contentions resolve,
old disputes are solved,
accord is restored;
all long to be one
with Jesus, our Lord
when we bow at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
my flesh cannot stand.
I crumple
in tears
at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

Love, tall before me,
Takes hold my hand,
and gently says, “Stand
by my side.
It’s for your love I died.

I love you, my sister,
I love you, my bride.
Come, walk through my portal,
I’ll be your guide;
Stay close by my side,
in my glory abide.
G. Emery 2021

Here’s the 2011 version

Love, tall before me,
my flesh cannot stand;
it crumples
in tears
at the feet of a Man
Who is Love.

Love, tall before me,
flesh cannot speak;
surrendered,
I weep at the feet of a Man
Who is love.

Ginny Emery,  2011©