and today, I am a poet

I am taking a really interesting class about music of the early Christian church, and I love it! One of our assignments is to either 1. write new music for an existing hymn texts or 2. to take an existing hymn tune and write new poetry. I chose the second option, and I want to share my first draft with you. For those of you that want to see/sing/play the tune it goes with, here are the links to both my text and the music. Musicians, please ignore the not-perfect Finale document. First draft, my friends, first draft.

Here's the text I've written so far. My teacher assigned some edits for me to make - let me know what you think so far!

When We Have No Sufficient Answer

When we have no sufficient answer,
Father, we come, on bended knee.
When acts of violence, terror, hatred
Threaten to break our unity,
We will still praise your holy Name!
We will place all our trust in You.

When we are facing persecution,
Spirit, You are the strength we need.
When we are tempted, struck, abandoned,
and face the evil Enemy,
We will repeat your promises:
Ours is the final victory.

When we are crying for dear loved ones,
Jesus, You promise peace to us.
Comfort our hearts through every trial,
Fill us with hope; in You we trust.
We will still praise your holy Name!
We will place all our trust in You.

When in this world, we face affliction,
We reaffirm the Trinity.
God, in three Persons, holy Mystery,
You have heard all our desperate pleas.
We will repeat your promises:
Yours is the final victory.


2011 Linnea L. Burr