Brandon's Writings

“i can’t believe what my eyes have to see
as the last of the smoldering embers die
along with the place that i once called home
and it looked so nice
they lead us away in chains
while our head were bowed down
to the ground because of all the shame
and our walls might be broken down
but our city lives on in our hearts
everyday”

i remember my grandfather singing that song
and of course he went on and on and on
but it seemed like i never got tired of hearing
about that place that i really should call home
i still remember his final words
as he called me over to deathbed
and said:
“boy if i’ve taught you something, i hope it’s this
that there’s nothing sweeter than the Promised Land’s kiss
all my stories of the honey and milk are not fables, child
they truly do exist
and i’ve prayed to the Lord, dear one
that you would be filled with wisdom
and the might of the sun
for when it shines its light on the crops and the trees
they bring forth the fruit of that season”

so i grew up and i became wise
and no matter how hard they tried
i never once lost the song my grandfather sang
and one day my time finally came
for when the king would eat his meals
i was always there first
to drink his wine, which wasn’t bad all the time
but it came with a high risk of death
and i thank the Lord i hadn’t gone out yet
then the king asked why i was looking so sad
because every day before i had a smiling face
i took a second to pray
then proceeded on with great caution

then i recited to the king
the very song my grandfather used to sing
i told him how my people just wanted to go home
but they couldn’t because the city was ruined
i proposed to rebuild the town
and the wall that went around
to keep us safe
but i would need the best lumber
from the forest of the king
and a few years off from my daily routine
when the king opened his eyes
to my surprise, he said:
“take what you need! i’ll sign the papers
and you can go on your way.”

such a bold and risky move
for a servant like me to the king
but i knew after many sleepless nights
there was nothing else i could do
the place i stay now is just a house with walls
but tomorrow i set out to rebuild our home
and i remember well my grandfather’s song

my name is Nehemiah,
i was once the cup bearer of the king