birth pangs (angry baby jesus)

Hello Internet,

Sorry for the long-ish radio silence while I got started at my new gig. It continues to be awesome. Here's a response I posted to a colleague's request for advent stuff:

Funny you should mention it:
We had our annual art and poetry show from our homeless and formerly-homeless group last night, and it was (and this is high praise) as awesome as I was expecting it to be. Inspired, on the train home, I wrote ...a little ditty that Tom Ryberg had assigned to me: (I think he's gonna set it to music, and I've got the germ of a melody myself.) Not sure if it's length-or-language-wise appropriate, but I pay attention when things happen at similar times.

Angry Baby Jesus, or Birth Pangs, from an idea from Tom Ryberg
(to be sung lilting, almost calypso, but with an edge)

Everybody loves a baby
or so they claim until
she's howling and needs a changing
she's teething and never still

I want an angry Jesus
lifted wailing from the straw
the Jesus I know is angry
before he can even crawl

Please throw out your hallmark Jesus
cherubic and clean and white
that Jesus won't ever save you
that Jesus won't make you right

I want a dirty Jesus
who smells like sheep and blood and shit
if you want the incarnation,
you're gonna have to handle it

I want a bloody Jesus
because he's just been born
how long can you ignore him?
He's screaming outside your door

The New Creation trembles
the Holy Wind fills Her sails
and with the Newborn Savior
in hope and anger all Creation wails

(repeat previous verse of your choice, depending)

Happy Birthday David!

I can't sing to you, but this is almost as good:



So, I'm sorry I've been neglecting to contribute to this blog since two days after I joined... some of you may have noticed that I started working on a post a month and a half ago... I just haven't had time to finish it. I haven't given up on it.

Cheers.

anniversary present

I've posted Rachael's Anniversary present on myspace.com. It's a song I wrote. My friend Josh helped me record it, and even helped me add a super techno epilogue. It's called "I'll Be Up for a While," and I think you'll be able to listen to it online in the next day or so. It's our fourth anniversary. Exciting.

http://www.myspace.com/twentybucksaweasel

Oh, I also posted the song I wrote for Emily's birthday. It's called "gentle revolution", and it should be up at the same place.

Keep your eyes out for the entwives,
David