{"id":2948,"date":"2016-10-23T20:49:53","date_gmt":"2016-10-23T20:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/?p=2948"},"modified":"2017-08-01T21:05:38","modified_gmt":"2017-08-01T21:05:38","slug":"abandoned-strings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2016\/10\/23\/abandoned-strings\/","title":{"rendered":"Abandoned Strings"},"content":{"rendered":"
    \n
  1. The hand within or up above directs each action fake:<\/li>\n
  2. Each word, each nod, each praise of joy, whate\u2019er the master makes.<\/li>\n
  3. Bow the head, fold the arms, expound, and\u00a0testify,<\/li>\n
  4. Say yes, say no, arm to the square, and never question why.<\/li>\n
  5. Shushed and limp, no life inside, fifteen million strong.<\/li>\n
  6. A\u00a0sleight\u00a0of hand awakens\u00a0them to join the lockstep throng\u2014<\/li>\n
  7. Defend, sustain, endorse, uphold\u2014accept\u00a0the master\u2019s hand.<\/li>\n
  8. No voice, no mind, no heart\u00a0without the revelation\u2019s strand.<\/li>\n
  9. Stuck in a cage\u2014for years on end\u2014in cold and confined form<\/li>\n
  10. Until the master comes with keys and says, \u201cYou must perform\u201d.<\/li>\n
  11. \u2019Neath whip and chair under\u00a0the tent, to jump, and run, and beg<\/li>\n
  12. Before the congregation hushed; each rote and rite obeyed.<\/li>\n
  13. Fly through the hoops and beg for fish; baptize them with the splash<\/li>\n
  14. Dive down so deep, jump up so high\u2014a calculated flash.<\/li>\n
  15. Dance for the pipes, climb up the mount; the strait and narrow trod<\/li>\n
  16. With leash and chains and shackles, too, tied to an iron rod.<\/li>\n
  17. But some find out the gate\u2019s not locked and open it with faith<\/li>\n
  18. And courage, too\u2014a cautious step, despite the pressure great<\/li>\n
  19. To stay onboard, repeat refrains, and overload the shelf<\/li>\n
  20. Where will you go? I do not know, but go there as myself.<\/li>\n
  21. And there\u2019s the stage, empty now, reluctant there to climb.<\/li>\n
  22. A word, a no, a lonely shout, autonomous this time<\/li>\n
  23. Cry prayers, see heav\u0019\u2019n, eat at the feast, with fervour praises sing<\/li>\n
  24. An agent now, to act with choice; alas, abandoned strings.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The hand within or up above directs each action fake: Each word, each nod, each praise of joy, whate\u2019er the master makes. Bow the head, fold the arms, expound, and\u00a0testify, Say yes, say no, arm to the square, and never question why. Shushed and limp, no life inside, fifteen million strong. A\u00a0sleight\u00a0of hand awakens\u00a0them to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faith-crisis-poetry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/puppet-93568_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4NkW7-Ly","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2936,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2011\/12\/20\/book-cover\/","url_meta":{"origin":2948,"position":0},"title":"Book Cover","author":"Kim Siever","date":"20 December 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I saw a laugh jump from his mouth, a tear fall from his eye. I saw him run, and climb, and jump, and cross the brooklet by. I saw him cheer a lonely face; I saw him make a friend. I saw his hands building love, his eyes compassion send.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/12\/book-1659717_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C688&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/12\/book-1659717_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C688&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/12\/book-1659717_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C688&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/12\/book-1659717_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C688&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2011\/12\/book-1659717_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C688&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2951,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2016\/11\/02\/after-the-storm\/","url_meta":{"origin":2948,"position":1},"title":"After the Storm","author":"Kim Siever","date":"2 November 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Ruby red, no, scarlet red, the blood stains on their hands. Innocence delayed ten years, now teach them how to dance Orange\u00a0like the glowing coals of fire\u00a0dying out; Bellows, worn and tired now,\u00a0have fin'lly shut their spout. Yellow sun has dimmed its light, its service drawn to close Tried so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith crisis poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Faith crisis poetry","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/poetry\/faith-crisis-poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/barn-1364280_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/barn-1364280_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/barn-1364280_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/barn-1364280_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/08\/barn-1364280_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4186,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/02\/21\/my-response-closing-scs-is-key-to-a-healthier-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":2948,"position":2},"title":"My response: \u201cClosing SCS is key to a healthier community\u201d","author":"Kim Siever","date":"21 February 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Closing the SCS will worsen the situation. 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