I’m told I’ve got to strum a lyric myth of the afterlife to come So I don’t die of fright of death or waste the life I’m in. Right now my back’s against a rock so hard it almost cracks my spine – my back’s against a time-machine of life that’s tellin’ me, “no holdin’ back” and of-a-sudden Brother Orpheus rises up as Brother Van upon the screen and beats a syncopated riff so strong it hypnotizes brain and feet - Jump! Jump! Jump! Of that I’m sayin’ I’m not too keen when I’m not sure if I will land or just keep goin’ down – hey, I’m sayin’ where’s the promise I’ll rise up in Jesus’ lap in an elevator-up machine – show me where it says I’ll have a place in Elysian pastures green if I should choose to take the risk to Jump - what then, dear Brother Van, and as for landin’ in the lap of Jesus – tell me what that means. Brother Hopkins sings that Jesus plays in limbs and faces not his own – plays to the Father – Hey! it’s time to get to what is real - make a leap of language here! – Jump off the lyric script, the twelve-tone scale, the alphabet, dare to screech between the notes what’s not been heard or just left out or overlooked Bring in some cover here – Sister Julian’s lovin’ cover song of Jesus as our given Mother and God as like a Mother Hen that’s givin’ cover to her brood. Jump! because there’s everything to gain if you land in Sister Jesus’ lap or even Sister Mary’s – can’t you hear her whisperin’ in the ever-rushing wind that the better thing to do is Jump in trust and make it true though it’s the hardest thing you ever have to do. Practice-jumpin’ off the bottom steps of stairs, seats of hard-back kitchen chairs wavin’ kitchen tools – your pastry blender as a steel guitar you’re pluckin with your thumb – become a child who jumps for joy because she can, in trust she’ll land in Mother’s lap, Sister Miriam’s, Mama Maudie’s, Mary Magdalene’s – you got it! Take your pick and plink your vision/version in your Hard Rock Hybrid Band with your sisters and your brothers singin’- yeah – how hard it’s been – hard as a rock – and here’s a lyric play on words – hey, don’t you know that rock can be a metaphor, another name for God? Jump for life that you may live – Jump in trust of who you are – Jump for all the crucified – Jump that even if afraid – you’ll be risin’, risin’ - risen everywhere to God.
By Margie Dimoplon
One response to “Jump”
What an interesting interpretation of the Van Halen music. Our
Spirits can be lifted from music. Enthusiasm can be sparked from the belief that Jesus knows of the journey we tread and is walking alongside us. May our lives show this love.