I've Been Away

I've been away.
I've been to other places, heard other voices.
Some by choice.
Others not.

What were they trying to say?
What were they trying to be?

I've been away.
I've been to other places - in my mind, in my car, in my heart, in my gut.
I've heard other things - in churches, in boardrooms, in voicemails, in silence.
I've heard other voices - of disbelief, of outrage, of disgust, of denials, of lies.

Wondered what they were trying to say - to me, to themselves, to the church, to each other.
Wondered what they were trying to be - illusions, shadows, delusions or all three?

I've been away.
Now, I'm back.
It matters not what they were trying to say
It matters not what they were trying to be
None of their sour dissident clamoring stands up to the Truth.

One day they'll try to explain, make account for, defend their noisy painful clanging
But it won't be to me.
It won't be for me.

It'll be for their souls, for their flickering and fading lights
Which when given the chance to grow, to shine, to mature, to give truthful witness

By choice
They declined.