Ecclesia (as told thus far) [How do I share my goodness if I fear folly? -waiting in darkness, cobbling a better me- We must allow that a little sin might be, As a bit of debris may fall unseen into the cookpot, Yet we serve the meal And do not keep the stew hidden Until it is all spoiled. A time comes And there is no marker but a spilling over of our heart. And if that is not enough Find the true heart of another And be blessed.] Do not shun the darkness Nor raise it to the heart Though it clings as we cling We climb Hung from a limb Held aloft on the canopy By blind fingers Also destined for death. Give that which is death's To death. Have no hate for crowns of root Heaved through the earth's surface By the death plunge of a former king. But lo, the stars have a new pool above And the sun will awaken new shoots. Things that are boneless seem plump with flesh wraiths dancing your desire yet there is no grasping them. The most despised of his creatures Do base and essential biddings And are built to show what death inspired could be Spinning the thrall Placing that thing Disguised as your own power In your own hands. Do not raise this to the brow Lest a stinger fly forth And darken your dreams. You must make your plans. Faith is requisite To not crawl and climb But shed and ascend But when you crawl, know crawling And the thickening of your hide. When it is truly tough Sharp and horned Do not name it a crown Though it resembles one. Its dominion is that on which it feeds And what feeds on it Co-consumed in the void. How shall I know true shedding? The gift of two eyes One kept One lent, each to each to glisten in accord. I saw you struggling in the dark among the light with your brothers and alone. I saw you, pretending to be worthless though your sisters' eyes were merciful but when that became the world's leveling you found your gift. Yes, this is something else. It can barely be named. But a man in the forest did say a word And it stirred me: Ecclesia! Heaven on Earth! Ecclesia! The blessed realm on a knife's blade! Ecclesia! Lonely hearts fade into the deep Kindling for one another A space of reckoning And God sees our fire.