Fishing Without Joel (revised)

God
It's been so long now
I've forgotten just how it feels
To touch the water
Beneath me
To feel the splash around me

The salt and sun beat down
To warm my broken soul
And keep my perspective whole
But still my heart breaks me

And every time I make that cast
I pray
That you will be there to guide me
And as the bait is placed to the hole
I sense
There is tension inside me
The tension builds
The reel sings
And I know
Together we can land it

And as I peer into this moving glass
I see through the bed of grass
That life is beautiful
That life is all around me
And every time the line goes tight
I feel
Your presence is with me

I long, God I long
For the days I’ve left behind me

It’s been so long now
Since I stood upon this hull
I forgot just how it feels
To be here beside you
It’s as though it was never real
And somehow
I knew you wouldn’t stay

As I gaze into the sky
Now
I can feel your smile upon me
And now
All around the sky turns gray
And it’s time to run back through the bay
And leave this place behind me

I run, God I run
With skinny water beneath me
The salt spray tastes like tears
And I know that you are there
And it’s as though you’re standing there beside me
To know you that are there
And all is beautiful around me

I run, yes I run

With an angel’s wings
Beside me