Touched by an angel

Touched by an angel

We, unaccustomed to courage

Exiles from delight

Live coiled in shells of loneliness

Until love leaves its high holy temple

And comes into our sight

To liberate us into life.

Love arrives

And in its train come ecstasies

Old memories of pleasure

Ancient histories of pain.

Yet if we are bold,

Love strikes away the chains of fear

From our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity

In the flush of love's light

We dare be brave

And suddenly we see

That love costs all we are

And will ever be.

Yet it is only love

Which sets us free.

6

Weekend glory

Some clichty folks

Don't know the facts,

Po-sin' and preen in'

And put-tin' on acts,

Stretch-in' their backs.

They move into condos

Up over the ranks,

Pawn their souls

To the local banks.

Buying big cars

They can't afford,

Ridin' around town

Actin' bored.

If they want to learn how to live life right

They ought to study me on saturday night.

My job at the plant

Ain't the biggest bet,

But i pay my bills

And stay out of debt.

I get my hair done

For my own self's sake,

So i don't have to pick

And i don't have to rake.

Take the church money out

And head cross town

To my friend girl's house

Where we plan our round.

We meet our men and go to a joint

Where the music is blue

And to the point.

Folks write about me.

They just can't see

How i work all week

At the factory.

Then get spruced up

And laugh and dance

And turn away from worry

With sassy glance.

They accuse me of livin'

From day to day,

But who are they kiddin'?

So are they.

My life ain't heaven

But it sure ain't hell.

I'm not on top

But i call it swell

If i'm able to work

And get paid right

And have the luck to be black

On a saturday night.