In A Better Place - Elaine Rosales

She ran through the dark, narrow alleys of the large, unforgiving city in the cold, wet rain. The cold was so bitter that the newly formed puddles were quickly covered by a thin sheet of ice. Frigid bullets and needles mercilessly pelted down on her. Even in her thickest black sweater, her body was turning into a pillar of ice. She stopped running and turned to see if they were still after her. She saw no one.

Hopeless, she trudged towards a tiny awning for cover; only to find that it leaked. She didn't care. She knew they would eventually find her anyway. She also knew that her chances of survival were hanging by a thread that threatened to completely break at any second.

Exhausted, she leaned backwards against an old, rusting metal door, sank to sit on a dry stair of cold cement, and waited. Waited for a sound; a voice, but all she could hear was the rhythm of freezing torture all around. She waited to survive one last night; waited for someone to help her; waited for her God to save her from the cold, wet misery.

An overwhelming wave of fatigue surged through her whole body. She colsed her eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful darkness.

As she slept, she felt as if her body were drifting like an autumn leaf with every breath she took. She stirred at the movement, but remained half asleep long enough to wonder if she was flying. She drifted off as sleep encompassed her once again.

She awoke after a while, surrounded in white light. Strangely, this light didn't blind her. She didn't know where she was, but she loved it! She was no longer afraid, or on the frigid, wet streets of agony. She felt wholly relieved. She was embraced by a sweet, immense peace that she had never felt before.

Then, just when she couldn't have felt any happier than she was that moment, she heard a voice. The voice resounded like a roll of thunder, and roared like the crashing of waves along the shore. At the same time, the tone was gentle, soft and kind, like a mother comforting her child. The timbre was as beautiful and as melodious as a cello, yet as rich and as low as a double bass.

It was a voice unlike anything she had ever heard before. She looked up; and she she did the voice resounded again. It was so tender, so sweet; she was moved to tears, but these tears were soon wiped away by a soft, loving hand as the voice said, "Welcome home, my princess!"

Rattle - Tom Hollindrake

Disaster occurs at the worst of times
for a country that had nothing at start.
Don't know what to do, so they commit crimes-
the people who live there have a strong heart.
We do what we can to help those in need;
as the whole world unites to help as one
all they can hope is to plant a new seed.
Nowhere to go to stay out of the sun-
their lives will never be as they once knew,
left with nothing but disaster and pain.
You think your life's bad, come on, get a clue:
praying for the day, they may see the rain.
Disasters rattle the face of the Earth.
Poor little children are dying in birth.

Suffering in Silence - Tom Hollindrake

Swallowing my tears,
I see the horizon.

I wash away memories that have been cut so deep;
I'll be watching over you while you sleep.

I believe in reincarnation
because I know I must have done something right
to have known you.
My heart skips a beat when I'm around you.

Forgive my misery, for I long to be with you-
I'd fight the world, just to be with you-
Nothing's better than when you're with me.
Maybe this was meant to be.

(Talk) -;-
You'll be with me,
Through everything,
I'll always be watching over you,
You can count on me to be here too.

And within loss is hope
And in hope is more loss.

When I'm with you
it seems as if
I want my heart to be beating...

Just hearing your voice makes me happy,
seeing your face makes me smile,
and when I'm with you
It makes it all worthwhile.

-

[Editor's note: Tom originally wrote this song as lyrics for the band Hold Your Thoughts, who can be found on Myspace.]

Stand on the Side of Love - Julia Burns

I ask you, my friends,

to stand.

Do not sit!

Thinking your idle

obediance is enough.

It is not enough,

not enough for this active

thing we call life.

You must stand,

stand on the side of love.

For violence can put out violence,

but only love can put out hate.

And if you are strong enough to stand,

well maybe, maybe you can march.

Yes! March, march to love,

with love.

Not only stand and support,

but actively participate.

I ask you, my friends,

participate in love.

J.S.B.