Here’s a link to a song by the Stylites, David Mathewes and Cece Yentzen (written by David Mathewes). Yesterday was the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, when Mary and Joseph brought the baby to present him on the 40th day. The aged Simeon took him in his arms and prayed, “Now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.”
David lives in Forsyth County, Georgia, which has a bitter history of slavery, cruelty, and lynching. He envisioned another Simeon, and another prayer for release.
Lord, I give you praise
For all our darkest days
The heavy crosses make the strongest shoulders.
For the evil that men do
Knowing what they done to you
They thought they won till you rolled away that boulder
Now I pray relief that you will take away this grief
Not for my sake, Lord, but for Simeon
Not for my sake, Lord, but for Simeon
I can see that time is turning backward in his mind
The first becomes the last, the present turns to past
He cries out in the night
With his eyes all full of fright
Master, please believe I didn’t know that he was gonna run
He turns to face the window
I see them in the moonglow
Cross-hatch stars all down his midnight back
Cross-hatch scars all down his midnight back
I can see that time is turning backward in his mind
Going back to Pontchartrain
He thinks he’s back in chains
Sings of the good old way
Going down to the river to pray
And his old fingers move picking cotton
And he calls me Vivian
He says tell Jacob not to run
Oh, that those dark days be forgotten
He says a dead man can’t chop wood
Though they’d make you if they could
Either way they see you run they won’t hesitate
And he cries out in the day
Fixed on something far away
How many years will that gunshot echo cross the lake
I can see that time is turning backward in his mind
Troubles overcome before
Come and trouble him once more
Can such suffering suffice
Too much pain to live through twice
I’m begging you to send him consolation
Let him be released
Let him depart in peace
For his cloudy eyes have seen your salvation