Lindisfarne by Richard Morriss

LINDISFARNE
Life cries in the sand wind
Breath hushes the sea grass
The sea leans softly to the land
And a million creatures feel it pass

And they chatter in the village street, walking on the stones
Gazing at the ruins, walking on the bones

Life beams warm from the sun
Praised by God-clothed flowers
The tide has left small streams to run
Drawn back to the deep by unseen power

And they slam doors in the car park, walking on the stones
Buying tea and tickets, walking on the bones

A road joins land to mainland
A cross joins earth to heaven
The sea can hiss and thunder
But the rock sand land stands even

And boots crunch to the castle, walking on the stones
Built by Henry’s soldiers, walking on the bones

There are prayers in the grey church
Still warm with the grace of I AM
There is a hollow by the island cross
Where grasses listen to the lifting wind
And the stones can hear the running of the tide
I AM is there
And the roof has all the patterns of the sky

I AM who conquered brooding death
I AM breath of the moving wind
I AM light on the soothing waves
I AM life in the soaking sand

I come breathing in the sea light
I come standing in the rock faith
I come whistling with the birds’ prayer
I come running with the tide’s wave

Come you breathing in the sea light
Come you standing in the rock faith
Come you whistling with the birds’ prayer
Come you running like the tide’s wave

Weave in, weave in the Father, Son in woven faith in weaven pattern
Spirit’s  working weft of all creation, I in Them and Thou in Me

And they’re coming out at closing time from walking on the stones
A little life, a little life from walking on the bones

August 1999