Trentham: A Hymn for My American Friends

An election night like no other The night ended late. Scott and I stumbled to bed after too many hours of the American election and hearts that were heavy with the result. We weren’t shocked. Not as shocked as some. Perhaps watching it unfold from this northern vantage point had already scared us more than those steeped within the polls and election rhetoric. No, we weren’t shocked. But we were deeply, deeply saddened about the choice that has been made for what I can only imagine will be a meaner, uglier, more tightly wound spring of anger as Donald Trump takes the Office of the President and the House of Representatives wherever he wants.

OMGoodness. The Promises Trump has a lot of promises to keep and every one of them a blow to those who don’t belong to the demographic that still has the numbers to defeat racial minorities, women, members of the lgbtq community, migrants who perform 6% of the country’s most servile jobs with no security or benefits. Perhaps Trump’s promises will so change the face of America that those numbers will never change. I do not know. But I lament the loss of dignity and rights, so many will experience in the coming years.

For you, my American friends Today, preparing for Sunday’s service as I always do on Wednesdays, I wrote these words to the tune

Trentham. It is best known as “Breathe on Me, Breath of God.” In “Keep Wide Your Heart”, I hope to encourage my American friends and those around the world who feel the blow of last night’s election. May we find ways to reach out to one another and built a wall of human resistance that will go down in history. No matter what. Know that I love your hurting hearts.

Keep Wide Your Heart

Tune: Trentham Traditional Hymn: Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Keep wide your heart to love, all it might ever be. Count not the cost love may impose; to pay it, our deepest need.

Keep wide your mind to truth, all it might ever mean. All self-delusions, let them go and truth, it will set you free.

Keep wide your life to dreams easing the fear-filled night, until each possibility glows with a persistent light.

Keep wide the road to hope. Clear off its weed-fill’d way, that all might walk it, side by side, toward a more perfect day.

© 2016 gretta vosper

As with all my lyrics written for traditional hymn tunes, please feel free to reproduce, with proper attribution, for use in groups and congregational settings. All other rights reserved.