Ask Me Not Why The Caged Bird Sings

Ask me not, "why does the caged bird still sing"
It's not the song that captivates its' heart
nor is it the cage that keeps the soul repining
in its' dismal deep.
It isn't hope that resist disquietude
pain or shame...
For it knows not what torments its' subconscious soul
nor sees the scars of emotions hidden in the deep.

For once, perhaps, it wondered
what has brought me to this place ,
or ...
what keeps me from escape...
But when no answer came
it was not despair that visited that night,
contentment dawned,
and yielded not to light
nor truth of what was meant to be ...
And silence clothed the empty place
and covered what was never meant to see.
Memories snuggled deep within the folds of shame
where innocent children sleep.

...Then as the daystar dawned
and darkness yielded light
and day erased the night....
   ...no resistance rose ;
and ritual resumed it's rite
   of songs' preempted flight.

"It's what I did and what I'll do...
...for yesterday is gone
I remember not its' former song
Nor can I render right for wrongs
forgotten long ago"

So sing and lift thy heart to God
Praise thy worthy King...
He alone holds the key
to all thy questionings

"Though I see Him not I know that He has broken through
......and in life's quiet tortured cell I know I'm not alone...
...it's not a hopeless end in sight
but an endless hope ignites within my soul
... for night shall yield once more to light
and truth will dawn upon its'   brilliant shore.
For what I know not I need not know at all..."

"So I search for Him
...though I see Him not
I know that He is near...
...I will praise Him in this lonely place
and my time to seek him here.

(For she did not notice He had opened up the door
and she ventured not to try to soar)

"It was not the broken wing that hindered her from flight...
For He indeed had healed what time could never right.
Had desire dawned to reach thru heavens' gate
Perhaps then she could rise to soar once more...
Her broken legs did not keep desire chained
.... They too were healed by the power of His Name.
For strength had rallied in quietness and rest,
unbandaged knees had mended in the light of Holiness....
Nay, twas not she couldn't stand up again to fly...
...she simply couldn't dare
to even want to try.

"Ah! The broken heart !
You say,
The heart the culprit be"
"I see the scars where long ago
rejection came and plundered brutally.
Talons clawed tearing pieces from her soul.
Trust, and innocence ripped wide open,
and shame moved in and barred the sacred hold...."
"It's that which keeps her in torture's endless sleep,
in twisted chasms hidden long and deep,
yielding not to hope once more...."

Yet I say nay.
It's not the heart that says I will not see
Tis not the soul that says I will not soar....
For He has come to heal the brokenhearted
With news of liberty,
to comfort grieving souls lay trapped in misery...
to open prison doors and set the captives free!
Yet...
Truth penetrated not the depths
where ears heard not the news....
The place where Satan's lies
repeated different tunes.
That place where wounded broken spirits lay
shackled in their shame...
where glory could not shine
and good news never came.

For He knew it was not the outer man alone
He needed to redeem
Death was not man's only enemy
nor the grave that held love's captivated heart...
But deeper prisons where help seemed not to reach
the deepest depths where spirits choose to sleep
to close their eyes to what they cannot bear,
to shut their ears to what they cannot hear.
They surrender hope when hope knocks not at all
When all seems lost and love seems not to call.

Tis not the wounds nor blows of death
as redemption's plight unfolds,
Tis not hell, the grave, nor truth's emerging light untold...
For yes, all were needed, and Perfection paid the price
But it was Grace that lent it's power
...to Resurrection Life.
That Life that sees beyond the twisted carnal veil
and reaches down to what we think is real.
To depths where shame,
and pain
and agony abide...
And render's captive
Deception's vicious lies!!'

'FOR NOW IS YOUR TIME TO WAKEN
FROM SUFFERING'S ENDLESS SLEEP,
CHASMS TWISTING LONG AND DEEP.
OH YIELD THYSELF TO HOPE ONCE MORE.
FOR HE HAS COME TO THEE,
HE KNOWS DEEP CALL UNTO DEEP.
HE SEES HOW YOU VENTURE NOT,
ITS HE WHO BECKONS
COME AWAY BELOVED ONE.
FOR HE DESIRES THE BEAUTY
THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE,
THE WOUNDED PLACES
ONLY HE CAN FREE.
ITS HE THAT KNOWS SO WELL,
ITS HE THAT SETS THE CAPTIVES FREE.'

'COME FORTH O LITTLE ONE,
YOU NEED NOT REMAIN ALONE
FOR I HAVE COME TO THEE.
FOR I HAVE HEARD LOVE'S ANGUISHED CRY
AND INNOCENCE'S SILENT SCREAM.
FOR HOW I HAVE LONGED FOR THEE
TO COME TO ME AND YET...
I KNOW IT'S I THAT MUST COME TO THEE...
LET NOT THE FEAR
FROM YESTERDAYS LONG LOST
ROB THEE NOW OF TOMORROW'S DREAMS
FOR TODAY
I DO COME TO THEE
LIFT THY FACE ONCE MORE
TURN TOWARDS THE OPEN DOOR...
...LET MY PRESENCE LIFT THY HEAVY HEART
AND WING THAT ACHE TO SOAR.
IT'S NOT A DREAM,
I SWEAR,
FOR I AM COME TO CARRY THEE
TO HEIGHTS ONCE MORE...
...ABOVE, BEYOND DEATH'S DUNGEON DOOR
... TIS NOT THE PLACE CREATED NO FOR THEE,
FOR BOUNDLESS SKIES AND CLOUDS AWAIT
AND BECKON THEE COME FORTH!
AWAKE!
ARISE!
TIS YOUR TIME WITH ME
TIS YOUR TIME YOU'LL SEE!!!!!!

-Dee Edwards