State of Grace

In 2001, Paul McCartney, famous for his songs, put out a book of poetry. It was called "Blackbird Singing," after his famous song, "Blackbird." Honestly, the poems were OK. Not amazing, not earth-shattering, but OK.

However. There was one poem that was head and shoulders above the rest. It was so good that when I read it, I immediately realized why Paul McCartney is Paul McCartney. Because when he is good, he is good.

Here is that poem.

STATE OF GRACE

It's a heavenly day
On the surface of the Earth
Yet servants of evil
Still roam its face
Searching crows feet and crannies
In which to give birth
To the future.

We praise
The Spirit of Goodness
From whence all good things flow

As when a fish
Fresh plucked from watery home
Flaps wildly on the deck
What spirit moves
The hand that throws it back?

In this world
Where ever-present dangers
Circle round our family heart
Like a throng of hostile strangers
Eager for a war to start
There appears
A friend's familiar face
Oh sweet relief
The heart goes
To a warmer place.

And this we prize
And this we hold so dear
This humble State of Grace.

Laughing at the sky
Behold its sheer
Blue genius unfold
And we are blessed
To see its golden hue
To be amongst its chosen few

We praise the well
Of Goodness
From whence all good things flow

Through the night
A daffodil is battered by
The father of all storms
Daybreak sees it
Stand alone
Amongst a field of lifeless forms

Rays of light
Illuminate
The space
Where sweet relief presents
A shining yellow face

And this we prize
And this we hold so dear
This humble State of Grace

Life aboard this fast revolver
Still remains
A magic mystery

Loud reports of anger
Fill the pages
Of our history

Those of us with love
Can now embrace
With sweet relief
A life lived
At a gentler pace

For this we prize
And this we hold
So dear
This humble
State
Of Grace.