Walking with the Wind

I met someone this week who is working on a documentary film about John Lewis, one of my personal heroes. A few years back, when I read his memoir, I wrote this in response:

Walking With the Wind

We are broken vessels, nothing more than jars of clay

But the light that shines within us, shone from the making day.

Seek the light within you, hold others in it too

Even when they turn their backs, hold on to what is true

It’s a long way to the promised land. We’re gonna walk it hand in hand.

Sing the songs of freedom friend. Stand up tall we will not bend.

We’re gonna keep on walking with the wind.

We’ll walk the road before us; we may stumble, we may fall.

There’s another hand to pick us up when we follow freedom’s call.

The road to freedom winds on down through valleys of despair.

Nashville, Selma, Birmingham: our footsteps echo there.

It’s a long way to the promised land. We’re gonna walk it hand in hand.

Sing the songs of freedom friend. Stand up tall we will not bend.

We’re gonna keep on walking with the wind.

With the steps of kings and framers and the working of their hands

The seeds of freedom have been sown so we can take our stand.

The arc of justice is mighty long, but it bends toward holy ground.

And when we do the work of love, it bends the whole world round.

It’s a long way to the promised land. We’re gonna walk it hand in hand.

Sing the songs of freedom friend. Stand up tall we will not bend.

Keep on walking straight and proud; keep on singing strong and loud.

We’re gonna keep on walking now; we’re gonna keep on talking now.

We’re gonna keep on walking with the wind.