June 24th

“’What profit is there in my death,
   if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
   Will it tell of your faithfulness?’” Psalm 30:9

if there is no more breath,
if the songs are stilled,
if the whispers fall away,
what is the point?
i have never heard
a hole in the ground
offer hallelujahs, nor
bones sing in 4-part harmony,
and stillness is no more
a promise keeper than a rock.
so,
don’t let go of us,
not because we are deserving,
but because we are
still struggling
to learn the tunes,
to memorize the lyrics,
to sing in unison,
while dust never breaks
its vow of silence.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman