Thursday, December 31, 2009

Daisy Belle (to her memory)

there is always a great sadness that comes with the death of a pet
our dear friend Daisy died today
we are never prepared for our silent friends to become a memory
our old  basset hound was truly one of the family in our journey
over the past 5 days she began to wither away
sever pneumonia in her right lung
something wrong with her digestive track
most probably a tumor
medicine didn't help
the vet called and we went to the clinic to be by her side
to pet her on the head and massage her neck
Renee', Wes, and I were with her when she passed
there was no pain
but dang if i couldn't feel it when her spirit left her body
i hope our prayers give her a peaceful journey till we see her again
Augustine says we will
 i believe him
she had been with us for 12 years
we buried her close to the house
the house that already feels different with her absence
i hope she knows somehow
how much we loved having her with us
she was a great friend and companion through many days

wkm

NEW mercy!

this morning is not like yesterday
new mercy has fallen
it has fallen upon us
like the dew of God
whether we are in pain
sadness
fear
anger
complacent
anxious
"happy"
healthy
ill
peaceful
it does not fall on just a few
or upon those who recognize it alone
it falls on the just and the unjust
music to my ears baby..
if you are reading this
or if you aren't
it has fallen like rain
upon your eyes, ears, head, heart and soul...
new mercy
not recycled
not stored up from yesterday's leftovers
NEW
man, i need to hear this..

wkm

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

into great silence

last night at work
i was talking with a co-worker about films that must be seen
"into great silence" is a documentary
about Carthusian monks in France
an incredible story of men dedicated to the "great silence",,
to God,
Who is heard best in silence
His silence gives Him away
He waits for us to enter into this
no music
no talking
no televisions
silence
this is not simple
it is challenging
daunting
but when we enter in to this
we find a vibrancy not of this world
and yet,
it is where this world becomes most real
and most beautiful

 
wkm

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

the hunted

dry
nothing to say
help Lord!
a freezing nighttime desert wind blows in the soul
fear and anxiety are lurking just outside
i smell them
the cold dry wind brings in the familiar stench
like some kind of wild animal
stalking
always stalking us
trying to gain a place inside
we are the hunted
from within and without
so our hope must be sure
that God is madly in love with us
and He is for us
for the hunted
we must hold on to this one unchangeable teaching..
if He is for us,
it doesn't matter who is against us..
we gotta keep praying..

wkm











Monday, December 28, 2009

life never ends

bomb sniffing dogs
x-ray machines
airports
Pakistan suicide bombers
Pope B attacked
soldiers in Afghanistan
in Iraq
Obama in Hawaii
my mother called from New Orleans
"the best shrimp i ever had!"
my old Basset Hound Daisy is very sick
please pray for her
the year comes to an end
but "nothing changes on New Years day"
says Bono
without faith it is impossible to please God
faith is all we have
if we trust only what we see
we will despair
our old friend Bob Dylan
said, "gotta serve somebody"
a priest friend of mine emailed me last night
actually, early this morning,
someone died in his parish
now he has two funerals this week
a week he was hoping to get a little rest
he has been though a lot of stuff lately,
life never ends.
 
wkm



 

Sunday, December 27, 2009

...which is hell..

every human has secrets
no matter how holy one may seem
there are things only God knows about the soul of a man
struggles we don't even understand plague the mind
Augustine said 'we don't even know ourselves"
this may be why Jesus said "don't judge"
we need to understand these complexities,
these mysteries that make up the human condition
and when we need to confront a friend or family member
who may be rushing headlong into some kind of destruction,
we must judge in humility and mercy
knowing our own struggles with our own stuff
otherwise,
we miss the point of the cross
which is to miss the point of God's love,
which is to miss mercy..
which is hell..

wkm

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Love Come Down

The first reading given in the liturgy
the first day after Christmas
from the book of Acts
Stephen is stoned by religious folk
Saul is "concurring"
later of course,
Saul becomes Paul
and the rest is our history
two men changed by this new love come down
this is what Christmas is all about
Love come down
a new commandment given by the Son of Man,
"love one another"
Stephen sees Jesus standing next to God in heaven
Saul is blinded and hears Jesus calling his name
can you imagine what it was like when Paul met Stephen in heaven
there was no hatred or guilt
there was no unforgiving or false humility
no self righteousness or grudge
because Christmas brought the remedy to all of this stuff..

wkm

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Sheer Grace

Incarnation
root from the stump of Jesse
the Divine becomes human
flesh from a Virgin
praise be to God
peace to His people
on earth
on earth
on earth
He came to earth
bringing hope
humus
on earth
to suffer
like we suffer
to redeem suffering
to put a whupping on death
and sin, our dang sin,
and why did He
"sheer grace"
to quote Augustine,
"sheer grace"

wkm



Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Family Warming

this time of year
the wind blows
family tensions begin to mount
the cold air comes down from the north
family comes to town from every direction
in laws, estranged brothers and sisters,
crazy uncles
strange cousins we only see once a year
snow falls
cold rain
all to cool this family warming
these are the times we notice something
about ourselves
and whether you and i are the crazy uncle
the strange cousin
the brother who won't speak to a certain sister, etc..
we all see how wonderful, crazy, bizarre, beautiful, painful, and hopeful,
this time of year can be
and it can be joyous realization of our need for mercy,
both in giving it and receiving it
the wind is howling

wkm

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

"Fava!" (Favor)

"Do not think you have made any progress,
unless you feel you are lowest of all men."
Thomas A Kempis wrote this in the "Imitation of Christ"
this is not something we will hear on television
or on the radio
especially on Sunday morning religious shows
isn't it amazing how we fall so quickly for ear tickling?
we want a sugar daddy God..
one who will pay for our crashed car
heal our cancer
get us a parking place up close
give us favor! fava! Fava!
God in His mercy is not driven by anything but love
and love has many guises
sometimes love heals the immediate health issue
but sometimes love is trying to heal something deeper than the illness
love may make us walk a long ways to the store
sometimes love feels like anything but "fava" ( favor)
sometimes it feels like hell.
We live in Mystery,
 which is another reason to trust,
He knows what kind of love we need..
Lord have mercy!

wkm


Monday, December 21, 2009

what matters..

the illusion of control
when we lose this illusion
we feel the freedom of trust
their is great liberty in the Mystery
yes, our choices in life matter
yes, we have free will
and yes, He knows all things before they happen,
and yes, He predestines us to become like His son,
He is not limited to time..
heavy stuff dude..
but, we are His children not His robots
depending on His mercy in all of our choices
a friend of mine emailed me today
said he dropped by the Church and while he was praying,
said a prayer for me and my family
how incredible is the love and mercy of our Beloved Lord!
this is what matters...

wkm

Sunday, December 20, 2009

the sailors prayer

i listened to a documentary on the radio the other day
sailors, fisherman, oil riggers, deck hands, merchant marines,
all coming in for a brief harbor this time of year
it spoke to the odd life they live compared to those of us on land
the short time in harbour is when they buy supplies, see family, etc..
the person doing the documentary was a volunteer that helps these men,
very often they have such little time to find everything they need,
so people from churches go to the harbour to help them out.
one sailor needed a violin string, others needed sewing materials,
but the most important thing to the sailors on one ship was Mass
they were all Catholic and asked if a priest could come aboard,
administer the sacraments, hold a Mass, and bless them and their ship
one man became emotional when he was told this could be arranged,
these are hardened men of the sea,
the hunger for Jesus in the Eucharist was palpable,
and the cool thing was, the radio show was not religious at all
it hit me how often i take for granted that i can receive Him daily
i want to stay that hungry for His gift..

wkm


Saturday, December 19, 2009

St. Nicholas

what does Christmas mean to us?
family, gifts, food, travel, the new Bob Dylan Christmas album?
Christ-Mass, or "Holy Mass" is where the word comes from
if you want to learn something really cool about this tradition,
this season,
read about the original St. Nicholas
he was a 2nd and 3rd century bishop of the Catholic Church
he was a fascinating dude
at one of the councils of the Church
he punched a heretic in the mouth
the guy he punched was trying to say Jesus wasn't fully God and fully Man
he wore red to remind everyone of the blood of Jesus
he put coins in the shoes of people who left them outside at night
he was known for the miracles his prayers brought while he was alive,
and after his death
he became known as Nicholas the Wonderworker
he lived in Turkey and Greece
i imagine if he were around today,
more fists would fly

wkm


Friday, December 18, 2009

"hello"

if Jesus lives within someone,
if His heart beats within a heart,
if His mind thinks within a mind,
if His soul moves within a soul,
what's going on in there?
st. john of the cross wrote about this
so did st. Teresa of Avila,
Therese of Lesuix
st. Paul,
st. John wrote, "greater is He within you than he that is in the world"
but we find with all these fellow strugglers come before us,
that within our hearts, minds, and souls,
it's not always easy to know 'what is going on in there'.
i was at work last night stocking the shelves,
suddenly, without any prompting from anywhere,
Jesus said "hello".
no, it wasn't an audible voice,
there was no great vision or lightning or great decree,
just a simple thought entered my thoughts ,"hello".
i responded silently with a "thanks for reminding me Lord.",
yep, there is a lot going on in there..

wkm




You wanna help?

Hey folks, i am now being played on Jango.. which is a very cool worldwide radio station on the internet.. if you have a moment, click on the link below and rate one of my tunes, once i get 50 people saying they like my music, my stuff goes into the normal rotation endlessly, for eternity, for a while....

Merry Christmas!

http://www.jango.com/music/W+Keith+Moore

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Another Story

not too long ago
we were at my mothers in central Mississippi
when my aunt found out we had converted to Catholicism,
she screamed, "Boy, you were born a Methodist,
you gonna die a Methodist!"
my son, who was 16 at the time,
watched me from across the room,
 waiting with a grin on his face for my response
you have to know my aunt
i love her, but she is incredibly interesting,
she does not speak in normal tones
everything is a few decimals higher
it is as if she is always standing on the shore of the ocean
trying to speak above the crashing waves
i responded with a question...
"Do you know anything about the Catholic Church?"
and as if I had asked, "is there sugar in this tea?"
she yelled again,
"John Wesley is rolling in his grave, what do you think he would say!?"
i asked her another question....
"Did you know that Suzanna Wesley, John's mother, was a very devout Catholic?"
my aunt peered at me as if she were about to pounce like a panther..
"What do you know about the Catholic Church?", i asked again..
"they worship statues, Mary, the Pope, and...what about John Wesley!!!??"
i quietly assured her that we only worship statues on Tuesday, Mary on Saturday, and the Pope on holidays..
no, i am kidding..but i did tell her the truth,
i told her that Jesus is the King of the Catholic Church..and all these statues, the Virgin Mary, the Pope,
point with passion to following Jesus with an undivided heart and soul..
she mumbled something else about John Wesley and then starting talking about football..
don't you just love the holidays?

wkm


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Biker Chick

not too long ago
i was playing a show
at a club on Beale street in Memphis
i had just written the song
"In Your Coat" that is on my Beloved cd
it was the first time i had played it for anyone
the club is basically a biker bar
of which i love to play in whenever i can
if you don't know,
the song talks about keeping a rosary in your coat,
with the hope it will help remind us of what is important in the journey etc..
there was a middle aged woman at the show dressed in black leather,
a true biker chick
she had a beer in one hand, a cigarette in the other as she approached me after the show
her red hair and red lipstick glowed in the shadowy room
she waited a couple of minutes to tell me something
her eyes were moist as she reached out her beer hand to shake mine
"I grew up catholic and haven't really thought about my faith in 20 years.
Your song, which i can't believe you sang here tonight, reminded me of how much i loved praying the rosary as a child.
My mother and i would pray it together.
I am going home and see if i can find my mother's old rosary.
Thanks for singing that song."
I gave her a hug and thanked Jesus this gig had opened up.
This is why I look for and long for more bars and clubs who will let me play a few tunes.
please pray for me in this.

wkm




Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Web address

Many have asked me for the website for Fr. Ron.

www.tearinthedesert.com


The Bridge of Sighs (Song)

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

 you ever been beyond confused
 filled with heartache, bitters and blues
sleep brings nightmares instead of dreams
you spend most of the daylight on your knees

the cell phone don't ring
and a text you don't receive
so alone in this tumult
waves are high on the anxious sea

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

lately i fall too often
some battles i just can't win
my Beloved seems so very far away
can't He hear me calling for Him?

the dark night lingers in the soul
they say this is when we grow
He wounds us so we we'll crave His dear heart alone
it's a crazy mysterious show

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

I fly to the virgin
to whom i send up my sighs
she knows the struggle i tell
her prayers are my hope in this fight
she can teach me to love Him, to serve Him, and to trust Him so true,
she can teach me to love Him so well

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

wkm
for Fr. Camarda, Robyn Miller, Susan Miller, Jack Gentle, Fr, Hatton, Blake, Gus, and Lindsey Hill, Cathy Yates, Fr. Tonos, Glen Heard, Don Imus, Tiger Woods, Patrick Finnegan, Jody Davis, Ben Pearson, Mark Step, my friends in New Jersey, California, Istanbul, Poland,  Jeff Cavins, and Phil Keaggy

The Bridge of Sighs

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

 you ever been beyond confused
 filled with heartache, bitters and blues
sleep brings nightmares instead of dreams
you spend most of the daylight on your knees

the cell phone don't ring
and a text you don't receive
so alone in this tumult
waves are high on the anxious sea

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

lately i fall too often
some battles i just can't win
my Beloved seems so very far away
can't He hear me calling for Him?

the dark night lingers in the soul
they say this is when we grow
He wounds us so we we'll crave His dear heart alone
it's a crazy mysterious show

How often we cross
How often we cross
How often we cross
the bridge of sighs

I fly to the virgin
to whom we send up our sighs
she knows the struggles we tell
her prayers are our hope in this fight we fight
she can teach us to love Him, to serve and to trust Him,
she can teach us to love Him so well

as often we cross
as often we cross
as often we cross
the bridge of sighs

wkm

Monday, December 14, 2009

Tear in the Desert for Christmas

whose tear falls in the desert?
when i first read the book, Tear in the Desert,
i was so moved i wrote 10 songs in about as many days
the candid heart of Fr. Camarda is a breath of fresh air
his passion for bringing Jesus, his Beloved, to the troops
grows with the turn of each page
his reluctance to initially go to Iraq slowly burned away
the young men you meet in the story change you
Edward especially
i enjoy writing these reflections everyday,poems, songs,
whatever they are,
today's reflection is a commercial of sorts
i am not getting paid to say any of this
but if you have a reader on your Christmas list,
go to http://www.amazon.com/Tear-Desert-Ron-Camarda/dp/0615195784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260798238&sr=1-1
buy it, read it, then wrap it
with all the stuff going on in our world today,
the timing of this book is perfect

wkm

please pass this on if you are so moved, gracias!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

We are made to be moved..

what if there was no "Sunflowers: by van Gogh?
no "Starry Night"
no "Mona Lisa"
no "Let it Be" by the Beatles
no "San Diego Serenade" by Tom Waits
no Mozart
no "Messiah" by Handel
no "Sound and the Fury"
no "Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross
no "Romeo and Juliet"
isn't it amazing how much art means to us?
nothing moves the soul like works of expression
paintings, songs, stories, photographs, ballet,
we are made to be moved
in His Image must have something to do with this
my wife and i saw the "Nutcracker" ballet last night
i always forget how many great melodies are in the second act
there is one dance by a solo performer
i believe it is the only minor key moment
she moves in very fluid, lovely strides
graceful
it was haunting
somehow,
it all brings glory to our Father in Heaven
i am grateful for His creative Heart..

wkm

Saturday, December 12, 2009

doubt

talking with a friend yesterday
he, an agnostic, asked me a question
and it was asked in all sincerity
with no guile
"why are some religious Conservative Christians so mean?"
his mother had been to a school play with him
and while his son was sitting next to his mother,
she was berating some of the students for their haircuts,
obesity, and commenting often on the lack of morals "kids have these days"
these were 5th graders
i asked how the question applies to his mother
he said she is an incredibly devout evangelical
i know what he is talking about
 i agreed there sometimes seems to be a cruel streak in some believers
i paused before i answered
"Doubt."
"it is possible that behind the curtain of self righteous behavior,
lies ones own ignored doubts and insecurities."
i explained my take on this, simply as an opinion,
i am my most judgmental myself when i am insecure in my own place in life
when i am ignoring my own doubts regarding something in my faith
and in judging and berating others, somehow, i feel better about myself spiritually.
Bruce Cockburn has a great line in one of his songs,
"You can't love yourself without thinking someone else holds a lower card"
when doubts are not embraced and worked through,
they are like gasoline poured on the flame of insecurity
and in this, we can be very mean.
doubt can be a very good thing because it churns the soil of the spirit
but left to lie dormant, it grows into a very sharp brier bush
wounding all who rub against it.

wkm


Friday, December 11, 2009

Advent

waiting
everything is somehow about
waiting
think about it
i will wait a minute while you think...
 see what i mean
God wants us to wait upon Him
after the fall,
man waited to be picked up
Jesus shows up
brings the gift of grace
the hope of salvation
then He left
now we are waiting again
waiting for the renewal of all things
all of this is true..
but in the daily grind,
where we push and pull
we cry out!
then we wait for His help,
a light, a breeze, clarity of some sort, movement,
an answer, courage, peace, hope, kindness, mercy!
 you know why?
because apart from Him we can do nothing..
except screw things up royally.
take a deep breath,
now let it out,
it's going to be ok..

wkm


Thursday, December 10, 2009

really cold

32 degrees here today
my dog Jack and i walked for an hour
the wind off the lake was rough
I am thinking about buying Jack a jacket
he has short hair and looks cold
he beats me back to the truck in this weather,
waiting with his little tail wagging
looking up at the driver side door
jumping in the second i open it
i saw a man sitting on a bench
probably in his fifties
his green scarf covered his mouth
he had on an old style brown felt hat
like my grandfather wore
and i wear often myself
he stared at the lake...
for some reason,
he seemed sad the way he was sitting
Jack went over to him as we passed
he looked up at me for a brief moment
he nodded, i nodded,
then he pulled his gloved hand from his dark brown canvas coat
he reached down and gave Jack a pat on the head
  he smiled for a second
"it's cold" i said
"really cold" he agreed as he rubbed Jacks head.

wkm

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

CD's to the Troops

I just wanted let everyone know the CD's that many of you purchased for the troops on my website have been sent to Afghanistan.  Jean Tillery from Virginia, the executive producer for Beloved, set up the contacts and I shipped them out yesterday. I was told they will receive them a couple of days before Christmas.

Please pray for the troops and send them your support whenever you can.. they love to hear from us..

peace and Merry Christmas,

wkm

dragging our worries behind us in a sack

last night was windy
the stop signs were flapping and bending over
we went from 60 degrees to 40 in a matter of minutes
the rain came down as if being poured from buckets in the sky
my hat almost flew off when i walked to my truck
as the wind bit my cheek,
i couldn't help but think about grace
how some days are so still
so stagnant
we put one foot in front of the other
 dragging of our worries behind us in a sack
then these winds come
these storms
is it just me?,
but i get a little excited when they come
i know they could be bad,
they could bring destruction
especially here in Mississippi,
but i still like the idea and the feeling of change the tumult brings
the way they blow out the dregs, dust, and pollen
i just wish i could feel this way spiritually
instead of bitterness and frustration
when the spiritual storms come,
i wish i felt excitement..
mercy!

wkm

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Why?

why did God use Mary?
Couldn't He have used Barbara,
or Elizabeth, or Martha?
Why does the Church teach her Immaculate conception?
is it some kind of trick to make people worship Mary?
Why would the early Church do such a thing?
Why were the earliest buildings ever built to be churches
dedicated to Mary?
in the East and West?
why did God who made the world through Jesus the Word
bring Jesus to the world to re-make the world through Mary?
it is simple..
sin entered the world through the a woman named Eve
who was reaching for something other than God
salvation enters the world through a woman not reaching,
but instead with open hands receiving His will.
God chooses the lowly and the ignored to announce His love
glory to God is not glory to us
we get it mixed up most of the time
Mary is special because of Who she bore
and we are only special because of Whose we are.
this is why Paul gloried in his weakness
not his strength
it's why Jesus didn't reach for anything out of His right
instead, He emptied Himself,
Mary even called herself the lowly handmaid of the Lord..
there is great power in all of this..

wkm


thanks

i wanted to say thanks to Msgr Puris
Deacon Lou
Ann and Dick Miesenbacher
and all the folks who came to the show
it was a special night for me
the response, kind words,
and support were humbling
i hope to be back in the area
and it looks like i will be in April
i will be sure and let everyone know
it will be good to see y'all again

peace and keep me in your prayers,

keep chopping!

wkm

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Necessary Thing

there is always opportunity
moments to dig
to draw close
especially in the busy lives we live
especially in the suffering
in the daily hum and beat
in the hurry from one place to another
there is always the chance
to speak to our Beloved
Who is mad for us
Who sees the real you and me
He knows our true name
as we follow whatever it is we follow today
as we do the things we have to do
we should remember the "one thing"
the necessary thing Mary chose
while Martha did all the other things
that needed doing....
selah

wkm
Martinsville NJ

Sunday, December 6, 2009

New Jersey

it is snowing in New Jersey
it is beautiful

we don't see much snow in Mississippi
mostly ice
there are so many kind people in this world
the couple that brought me here to play
have two Irish Setters
three cats
i told them i feel like i am at home
they are incredibly kind folk
their desire to encourage their parish
has given me a chance to sing some songs
and tell my story
it's a pretty cool deal
i woke this morning at 5:30 with a cat lying on my chest
he looked me in the eyes when i opened them
it really does feel like home

wkm



Saturday, December 5, 2009

i think the Lord loves us

 i think the Lord loves us
no, really,
i mean, i really think He loves us
i know this sounds odd
at least odd in how i am phrasing it,
but think about it
from a child's prospective
He died for us
He rose for us
He became a man for us
He suffered for us
on the cross,
while He was dying,
He gave us His mother,
He promised to be with us always,
He calls us "friend"
He is jealous of us
He gives Himself daily in the Eucharist
He allows struggle and heartache in our lives,
all for the greater good and salvation of our souls
i think the Lord loves us

wkm


Friday, December 4, 2009

grow the beard

dig!
take out the shovel
grow the beard
chop some wood
awake sleeper
let the sun arise in your heart
the sea is deep
the sea is God
His shallow shoreline
is where we all begin
listen to the song
calling us into the deep
where our hearts are broken
by our Beloved
our dreams suffer
we start noticing the cross
this awkward thing we carry everywhere we go
and then we know what Jesus said is true
"in this world you will have trouble.."
"take up your cross and follow me"
and in these dark waters
something begins to happen
our bitterness becomes laughable
our fear becomes curiosity
our anxiety becomes porous
we start to tread water in hope
we begin to swim with eyes open
singing as the waves grow around us
we love harder
humility becomes our hero
our anger toward a shallow life increases
and we laugh more than we ever imagined we could.
simply because we take ourselves less serious
and we take His call to go deeper to heart

wkm

for JD


Thursday, December 3, 2009

we should pray for the cat

media is a mirror
we're fascinated with sin
the fallen are fodder
watch 'em twist in the wind

watch 'em twist in the wind
watch 'em fall from grace
we feel better about ourselves
when others fall on their face

"careful my son"
said my grandad one day
what you say about the foolish
could be your own debt to pay

the empty want something
to fill up their souls
money can't do it
and fame leaves ya cold

so instead of piling on
we should pray for the cat
realizing all are capable
of falling into any trap

wkm


Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Van Gogh and Faulkner

crows scatter,
a black cloud  buckshots a blue sky
dead corn stalks wave gently in the breeze
reminds me of van Gogh
he could have captured this
van Gogh in Mississippi
he and Faulkner hanging around the square in Oxford
Faulkner telling stories
Vincent with an easel
maybe he is doing a portrait of "Count no Count"
this is what the locals nicknamed Faulkner
a drunk and a crazy man
changing art and literature forever
it's really cold out here this morning

wkm











Tuesday, December 1, 2009

God Always Had Mary on His Mind (SONG)

If you could have made your mother
would she had been free from sin?
would she had been pure
would she had been perfect
would she had been holy my friend?

Well God made Mary to carry the Lord
He knew from the moment Eve polluted her soul
that to crush the snakes head would take some time
but God always had Mary on His Mind.


Mary sat in her room one Nazareth morn
wiping the sleep from her eyes
she heard the wind blowing
it grew hard and strong
like a storm coming over the rise

then as silent as God
the wind ceased to howl
it was quiet in her poor humble room
 an angel appeared with fire in his eyes
he spoke peace as the young lady swooned

Hail favored one, full of grace
the Lord is with thee always
Your chosen to bring Him into this world
tell me fair Lady, what do you say?

Let it be done
Let it be done
according to what you have said
I'm the maidservant of Yahweh dear Gabriel
though a virgin i will carry His Son

Elizabeth Elizabeth knew Mary was there
before Mary came through the door
John the Baptizer leaped in her womb
she cried how is it that the mother of my Lord?

How is it that the mother of my Lord
has come to serve me this fine day?
Blessed are you among women
You will be called blessed always

Mary pondered these things in her heart
then she sang a song of praise
a magnificent song of salvation come
to the world through a lowly slave

If you could have made your mother
would she had been free from sin?
would she had been pure
would she had been perfect
would she had been holy my friend?

Well God made Mary to carry the Lord
He knew from the moment Eve polluted her soul
that to crush the snakes head would take some time
but God always had Mary on His Mind.


wkm
December 1, 2009
He is coming.

God always had Mary on His Mind.

If you could have made your mother
would she had been free from sin?
would she had been pure
would she had been perfect
would she had been holy my friend?

Well God made Mary to carry the Lord
He knew from the moment Eve polluted her soul
that to crush the snakes head would take some time
but God always had Mary on His Mind.


Mary sat in her room one Nazareth morn
wiping the sleep from her eyes
she heard the wind blowing
it grew loud and strong
like a storm coming over the rise

then as silent as God
the wind ceased to howl
it was quiet in her poor humble room
 an angel appeared with fire in his eyes
he spoke peace as the young lady swooned

Hail favored one, full of grace
the Lord is with thee always
Your chosen to bring Him into this world
tell me fair Lady, what do you say?

Let it be done
Let it be done
according to what you have said
I'm the maidservant of Yahweh dear Gabriel
though a virgin i will carry His Son

Elizabeth Elizabeth knew Mary was there
before Mary came through the door
John the Baptizer leaped in her womb
she cried how is it that the mother of my Lord?

How is it that the mother of my Lord
has come to serve me this fine day?
Blessed are you among women
You will be called blessed always

Mary pondered these things in her heart
then she sang a song of praise
a magnificent song of salvation come
to the world through a lowly slave

If you could have made your mother
would she had been free from sin?
would she had been pure
would she had been perfect
would she had been holy my friend?

Well God made Mary to carry the Lord
He knew from the moment Eve polluted her soul
that to crush the snakes head would take some time
but God always had Mary on His Mind.


wkm
December 1, 2009
He is coming.

Monday, November 30, 2009

sleepless

sleepless again
waking and praying
silently
digits glow red in the dark
2:07
after a few Hail Mary's
i settle in on the Jesus Prayer
"Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
have mercy on me a sinner."
my cat knows i am awake
she walks across my chest
placing her cold nose on my nose
i try to pet her but this is not what she wants
she wants me to get up
follow her to the kitchen
then shake a few treats from the "pounce" container
did you know there is live news show on at 2:30?
it's a quiet news show with one female anchor
she speaks softly
as if she knows
anyone up at this hour
is trying to go back to sleep.

wkm

Sunday, November 29, 2009

she's fast!

the beauty of winter
the days grow short
darkness long
the light of day
softer
the dark of night
deeper
the woods less dense
sound travels easier
i walk with my dog
long into the timber
dead leaves crumbling
a twig snaps beneath my boot
i see my breath
"hail Mary full of grace..."
the 27th day of the Novena
it began in the warmth of autumn
it continues in this frigid morning
Jack runs after a deer
a large doe
her white bushy tail flapping high above her back
he stops after a few yards
looks at me as if to say
"she's fast!"
 
wkm
 
 

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Wayfarer's Heart

i got a wayfarer's heart
and a wayfarer's soul
ever since i was young
even more now that i'm old
 
i love this old world
with its greens and its blues
and the people i care for
as i wear out these shoes
 
i got a wayfarer's heart
and a wayfarer's soul
ever since i was young
even more now that i'm old
 
i sing as i go
can you sing it with me?
we are wayfarers all
until we're home we will sing
 
in the stillness of summer
in the wind swept bright spring
in the doldrums of winter
and with autumn's color change 
 
i got a wayfarer's heart
and a wayfarer's soul
ever since i was young
and more now that i'm old
 
i sing as i go
can you sing it with me?
we are wayfarers all
until we're home we will sing
 
we gotta sing when we're worried
we gotta sing when we're sad
a song spites the dang devil
and makes God's good heart glad
 
we gotta sing when we're dying
on our last leg at the end
when the world's turned against us
as we struggle with our sin
 
i got a wayfarer's heart
and a wayfarer's soul
ever since i was young
and more now that i'm old
 
i sing as i go
can you sing it with me?
we are wayfarers all
until we're home we will sing
 
wkm
inspired by St. Gus
 
 

 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Eucharist (Thanksgiving)

the word, Eucharist,
means "thanksgiving"
when we receive Jesus,
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity,
we do so in the "once and for all"
sacrifice of the "Thanksgiving"
we enter in to the eternal and ongoing
 thanksgiving of those gone before us,
those who are throwing their crowns at His feet right now!
Eucharistic living
is a life of gratitude
a life of gratitude is a radical life
this is the life Paul told the Thessalonians to live
"In all things giving thanks(Eucharist)"
God is a Poet
so Brilliant
so True
When Jesus commanded we "do this in remembrance",
He was giving us the True and Spiritual means of worship
He eluded to this when He spoke to the woman at the well.
Those who "worship in spirit and in truth",
would be the Eucharistic Church He would build
on Peter, it makes so much sense.
Thank You Jesus.
 
wkm

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Cross, the Plowshare of Farmer Jesus

"So Christ, our heavenly King,
came to till the soil of mankind
devastated by sin.
He assumed a body and,
using the cross as His plowshare,
cultivated the barren soul of man."
St. Macarius wrote these words
i am thankful for the Church
She preserves and collects the words of the saints
i am thankful for their poetic
expressions, metaphors, analogies,
their creativity in spreading the Truth
we all can agree
our sometimes frozen hard souls
 need to be plowed by the cross
i know mine does.
 
wkm

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Peter

the last couple of days
the liturgy of the hours
starts with the words
of the apostle Peter
it always amazes me
how this seemingly
uneducated hick
fisherman
ended up writing
with such poetic brilliance
sophistication
and poignant prose
hear this from the one Jesus called the "rock"
"Keep your attention closely fixed on it,
as you would on a lamp shining in a dark place
until the first streaks of dawn appear
and the morning star rises in your hearts."
sounds like Bob Dylan
i guess when Jesus changes your name
and everyone starts calling you that name
it has some pretty heavy results
and some poetic ones as well
 
wkm

Monday, November 23, 2009

joy

the joy
should be
in serving
not in being served
in giving
not in receiving
in dying to self
not in living selfishly
our reward
lies in who we serve
not in hoping He will
bless us for our service
the blessing
is being
His
and being able to serve
Augustine says this much better
than i do
 
wkm

Saturday, November 21, 2009

love somebody

love someone today
strangers
enemies
relatives
friends
husband
wife
siblings
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit
a priest
a preacher
somebody
anybody
ask yourself,
"who needs forgiving today?"
"who needs a call?"
"who is lying in a rest-home,
jail?
there is always someone to love
God made sure of that
 
wkm

Friday, November 20, 2009

Fwd: "my" dream (so funny it hurts)



I had a dream
believed it was right
i claimed the promise
every day and night

"Lord willing" was my cry
I felt "called" you have to know
I wrote the truth in every line
i was ready to go

But the Lord wasn't willing
He said no to my dream
It took me years to understand
that He still loves me

so sincere but so deceived
so confident but so naive
thought I was a prophet
but this was not meant to be

thought i was important
thought i was a sage
thought i was a poet
with something to say

But the Lord wasn't willing
He said no to my dream
took me years to understand
but He still loves me

He's out to bring us home
He's out to save our souls
and if the dream gets in His way
the dream will suffer here below

i still struggle with this stuff
because it's true don't make it easy
these songs in my soul
are wildflowers not weeds
 
too few have the courage
to put them in a vase
and share them with their friends
they're so wild and out of place
 
still the Lord ain't willing
He says No to my dream
makes it hard to understand
how much He still loves me

how much He still loves me!

wkm
for Vincent Van Gogh,  Billy Moore,  St. Jude, hey Jude, Mother Teresa, Leonard Cohen, the Cohen brothers, Ireland, my Spanish 1 professor,  and my missing cat Levi



--
In Jesus,
keith

To have Keith come to your area, contact him for details at moorkeith@gmail.com

Thursday, November 19, 2009

what faith allows

faith allows us to see
the world
through the eyes of Jesus
the physical world
looks different
through His eyes
so does the world within
we start to understand
love
even in sorrow
disappointment
fear
confusion
we see Him
He is always loving us
relentlessly
vigorously
when we do not see with faith
we see only ourselves
 
wkm

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Prophet

he walked through the town
 didn't say a word
with a rosary in hand
and a long black beard
 
he stopped by the fountain
in the middle of the square
he raised his arms to heaven
and with passion he said,
 
"Jesus demands your life
your riches your fame
your rags your failure
your pride your shame!"
 
"i'm the anti -Joel Olsteen
i'm the anti -health and wealth
i'm the anti- prosperity gospel
"from this He's calling for your death!"
 
"Die to your selfish need for more!"
"Die to your lukewarm spiritual war!"
"Die to your false ideas of God!"
"He's not a sugar-daddy for the dreams you employ!"
 
the crowd shrieked,
"you're not a prophet of Truth!
you are the voice of the devil
a dealer of doom!"
 
they took him to the jail
believing him from hell
he only smiled and sang a song
to his Beloved Lord of love
 
they spit in his face
they pulled his beard
they screamed and rebuked
they laughed and jeered
 
He went to trial for disturbing the peace
the judge was agnostic and wanted his release
the believers screamed, "Put him in prison!"
"His words cause guilt, stress, and division!"
 
wkm
 

 

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

winter approaching

winter approaching
cool and clean
snow will fall
white silence
will cover everything
the earth lies dormant
waiting
all of creation longs
for the revealing
for resurrection
for spring
winter approaching
come winter
we have our coats ready
our hats
our boots
scarf
gloves
we know you old man
and Jesus has reminded us
to give our coats to the poor
to the homeless
gloves
scarf
boots
hats
winter approaching
 
wkm

Monday, November 16, 2009

W. Keith Moore Show in New Jersey

I will be playing December 6 in Martinsville NJ. Here is the info: Put it on your calender.
 
December 6, 7:00 PM
Blessed Sacrament Church
Washington Valley Road
Martinsville NJ 08836

Please come out if you can, admission is free.

 
--
In Jesus,
keith

To have Keith come to your area, contact him for details at moorkeith@gmail.com

who we are

to be loved by anyone
to love anyone
to be alone
to realize loneliness is a gift
friendship gets harder
as one gets older
Jesus died for His friends
and now
we walk this good earth
some sad from loss
some sad from gain
some sad for sin
some sad from shame
He is preparing us for the resurrection
this is our hope
married
single
divorced
friend
friendless
joyful
sad
He is preparing us for the great journey
and we need to understand that how we act now
affects how we will act later
how we love now
how we care now
how we hate now
how we forgive now
how we don't forgive now
He wants us filled with grace
not with disgrace
with hope
not with horror
for who we are is who we will be
 
wkm

Sunday, November 15, 2009

I adore Your tender Heart (for RENEE)

the dream i had last night
was as wild as the night
a bizarre foreign film
with words written on the sky
 
in the dream i was a mad man
with a beard down to my knees
i prayed the rosary up on the mast
i was a sailor on the seas
 
i love you
mad about you
always have been from the start
i love you
you're my dream girl
i adore your tender heart
 
i was bronze from the sun
and you were pale as a pearl
i took you away from the land
you became my ocean girl
 
i tattoed your name across my arm
RENEE
we drank rum and sang a song called
"forever our love will be!"
 
i love you
mad about you
always have been from the start
i love you
you're my dream girl
i adore your tender heart
 
when i woke from this dream
you were sleeping by my side
i thanked the Lord with all my soul
yo ho ho what a crazy ride!
 
wkm
11/15/09 at 10:25

when we pray

last night at work
hundreds coming in
wild eyed
some looking for a fight
others looking for a high
or a low
Jesus loves all of us
His silence is proof
His waiting is proof
i often pray while at work
little rapid fire prayers
for these folks coming in
for myself
Holy Spirit wants us doing this
i can tell He likes it
when we pray
we open cracks for grace to get in
for others
and for ourselves
 
wkm

Saturday, November 14, 2009

AHHH!

sometimes
everything within me
cries out
i cry out to You
frustrated
confused
damn angry
"what must happen for You to say yes Father?!!"
my words hit the ceiling
falling back down upon my head
yet i hear Your call
 a drum banging in my ear
You have given vision
You have given a gift
You have given a message
You have given passion
desire
how long O Lord!
will Your vagabond child stumble in this strangling darkness?
selling vodka
selling credit card machines
selling cars
selling the soul
working for ungrateful ogres
ogres of greed and pride
abusing hearts for selfish gain
a race horse forced to plow for 40 years
i am afraid to say these things to You,
 afraid You will punish me Father
the wayward child
afraid You will shake Your head at me
shrugging Your holy shoulders
but as Your servant David cried out,
i raise my voice
though nothing like David
for he was a man after Your own heart
i am the greatest sinner i know
a man after what?
and i am not just saying this for pity Father
You know i am horrible to You
ungrateful
full of pride
lacking faith
so now my cry
honestly
is for Mercy!
Have mercy O Lord
this is all can ask for
ever
I deserve nothing
nothing without You
Have mercy on me
in this prison of my own making
 
wkm

AHHHHH!

sometimes
everything within me
cries out
i cry out to You
frustrated
confused
damn angry
"what must happen for You to say yes Father?!!"
my words hit the ceiling
falling back down upon my head
yet i hear Your call
 a drum banging in my ear
You have given vision
You have given a gift
You have given a message
You have given passion
desire
how long O Lord!
will Your vagabond child stumble in this strangling darkness?
selling vodka
selling credit card machines
selling cars
selling the soul
working for ungrateful ogres
ogres of greed and pride
abusing hearts for selfish again
a race horse forced to plow for 40 years
i am afraid to say these things to You,
 afraid You will punish me Father
the wayward child
afraid You will shake Your head at me
shrugging Your holy shoulders
but as Your servant David cried out,
i raise my voice
though nothing like David
for he was a man after Your own heart
i am the greatest sinner i know
a man after what?
and i am not just saying this for pity Father
You know i am horrible to You
ungrateful
full of pride
lacking faith
so now my cry
honestly
is for Mercy!
Have mercy O Lord
this is all can ask for
ever
I deserve nothing
nothing without You
Have mercy on me
in this prison of my own making
 
wkm

 

Friday, November 13, 2009

Unity (SONG)

i saw unity today
it was shining and strong
graceful and noble
a harmonious song
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold
 
an old bearded man in gray
helped a preacher understand
without a word he preached the gospel
just by walking through the town

 
don't interpret on your own
cause baby what if you get it wrong?
and start a church that you adore
its happened many times before
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold

(ugly as sin
shallow and mean
proud and sure
of everything)

 
they will know us by our love
not by how we push and shove
many souls will ask one day
why did y'all lead us astray?
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold
 
wkm

Unity


i saw unity today
it was shining and strong
graceful and noble
a harmonious song
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold
 
an old bearded man in gray
helped a preacher understand
without a word he preached the gospel
just by walking through the town

 
don't interpret on your own
cause what if you get it wrong?
and start a church that you adore
its happened many times before
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold

(ugly as sin
shallow and mean
proud and sure
of everything)

 
they will know us by our love
not by how we push and shove
many souls will ask one day
why did y'all lead us astray?
 
unity said unity
shows the beauty in our souls
divided we are shallow
and ugly to behold
 
wkm

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Yes

Mary
Virgin of virgins
our Mother
what God did in you
through you
with you
gives us hope
great hope
He brought Jesus
to the world
through your willing heart
you are the new ark of the new covenant
gave Him His Flesh
His eye color
His hair color
complexion
through your "yes"
the world changed forever
so Mary,
pray for us
to say yes
to His sacred heart
to His commands
to die to self
to eat His Flesh
Drink His Blood
to love our enemies
to carry our crosses
to pray to our Father in secret
to care for the lonely
the forgotten
to act like Him
bringing Him to the world around us
for He is Lord forever!

wkm

Yes

Mary
Virgin of virgins
our Mother
what God did in you
through you
with you
gives us hope
great hope
He brought Jesus
to the world
through your willing heart
you are the new ark of the new covenant
gave Him His Flesh
His eye color
His hair color
complexion
through your "yes"
the world changed forever
so Mary,
pray for us
to say yes
to His sacred heart
to His commands
to die to self
to eat His Flesh
Drink His Blood
to love our enemies
to carry our crosses
to pray to our Father in secret
to care for the lonely
the forgotten
to act like Him
bringing Him to the world around us
for He is Lord forever!

wkm