RELIGION Poem: Let The Night Shelter Me, by Brian Spahr

Thin like a razor, a whisper of light
Hidden away in the noise of the night
Not warm, bright, or blinding, the darkness remained
But the whisper of light didn’t run, no it stayed
It stayed through my panic and fighting to breathe
It stayed through my prayers and my desperate pleas
It stayed when nothing about me felt right
Thin like a razor, a whisper of light

The glow of an ember shone faint like the moon
On the ambulance ride, and emergency room
While machines hummed their monotone hymns in my ear
The ember kept vigil, held space for my fear
It stayed through my head spinning out of control
It stayed through my sweating and shivering cold
It stayed when I cursed and I cried out for you
The glow of an ember shone faint like the moon

O Lord, it is night, and the night is for stillness.
But the weapons and wounds still hold power against us.
Let me rest, help me breathe, find some peace in the dark
Where the light still breaks through with the tiniest spark.
Help me to trust what I cannot yet see
O Lord, it is night. Let the night shelter me. 
Em C
Thin like a razor, a whisper of light
G D
Hidden away in the noise of the night
Em C
Not warm, bright, or blinding—the darkness remained
G D Em
But the whisper of light didn’t run, no it stayed

Em C
It stayed through my panic and fighting to breathe
G D
It stayed through my prayers and my desperate pleas
Em C
It stayed when nothing about me felt right
G D Em
Thin like a razor, a whisper of light

C G
O Lord—it is night, and the night is for stillness
D Em
But the weapons and wounds still hold power against us
C G
Let me rest, let me breathe, find some peace in the dark
D Em
Where the light still breaks through with the tiniest spark
Am Em
Help me to trust what I cannot yet see—
C D Em
O Lord, it is night. Let the night shelter me