peace be still

shelter from the storms of life

the thunder arrived, it rode on dark waves of silence 
it shuddered and shook overhead in the lee side of night, 
it rumbled vaguely, woke me gently,
struck the tips of my half slept mind, 
way before the morning's first lights

its flash of electric light came,
quiet past my eyes 
past my eyelids closed
tugged me to partly wake
struck the tips of my half slept mind
it shuddered and shook the walls and startled my dogs to take
a place next to, beneath my bed

all was quiet 'til it struck again
closer and closer as it approached
the sound vibrating with the force of heaven's strength
i found by sense in the grey of my bedroom 
my dogs shivering, licking their lips trembling,
though the room was warm and safe
though they've been through this time and again
the simple proximal distance between them and i
they established before it'd been known to me
it comforted them, i imagine why
the presence of knowledge higher than they
a power they've long assayed, assurance somehow conveyed
by the simple proximal distance between them and i

like me, my dogs,
reaching for comfort, reaching for me
like me, my God in circumstances' overwhelming
reaching for him
when the vacuum of meaninglessness brings in 
that fear common to man,

the unknown,
its helplessness
the tragedy 
that strikes ubiquitously day or night,
unexpectedly
mercilessly
it strikes persistently day or night

the terror of a future forever unrelenting 
neither by position or rank 
in the quagmire of life,
the fray of existence
whoring with the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring
on calamities' cusp to self or to next of kin

the lighting's flashes came ever closer and brighter 
the storm's rumblings settled the dark of night deeper into its reign
i lean into the everlasting arms 
of the one who saves me from my own terror when it strikes in the night
my Lord and my God divine, who's love sublime
his presence power, higher intelligence, 
heaven's ranks far above and beyond
gives me shelter, peace to share, translate to my dogs
in the knowledge of him
who lie low, below my lowest bed frame
now sleeping soundly, oblivious to the pounding wind, rain and storm

the presence of knowledge higher than they
higher of power being, i their human god,
their friend, their master and giver
they, receivers of goodness and verbal assurance
by their acute senses, benevolence transference
partakers of aural energy flows,

the thunders rolled and its lightening flashed like so many times before
i lay quiet and satisfied, my mind and dogs at rest
i understood the powers of nature, not they 
her heavens' actions of work, 
whereas my dogs did not and do not

now they and i,
floating aloof in the rolling sounds 
of wind, and sweet, soft falling rain

i nestled myself into the feel of his arms
creator and sustainer of my flesh, soul and blood
who gives my understanding of what goes on above
my dogs sensed a power they've long assayed, 
assurance somehow conveyed
like me, reaching
reaching for comfort in circumstances' overwhelming
when the vacuum of meaninglessness brings 
in that fear common to man
the terror of a future not assuaged by position or rank
in the quagmire of life
when the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring
on calamities' cusp to self or to next of kin

from my own terror when it strikes in the night
my Lord and my God divine, who's love sublime
his presence power, higher intelligence,
heaven's ranks far above and beyond
gives me shelter, peace to share, translate to my dogs
who lie low, below, my lowest bed frame
now sleeping soundly, 
oblivious to the pounding wind, rain and storm
wrapped in the love of his everlasting love