I was born behind these eyes
Sewn into this skin
One with the flesh machine I’m embedded in

I hold my children’s breath
Feel their mother’s pain
Share my brother’s blood
Within my sister’s veins
Cry my mother’s tears
Through my father’s eyes
Tethered to this realm
In consciousness’ disguise

A promise unspoken, for it could never be kept
Offering passages of safety so the host won’t disconnect

Yet the mouths of our graves sing songs of unknown places
And laugh as we struggle to escape

I have lived behind these eyes
Existed in this skin
Defined by the flesh machine I’m embedded in

The mouths of our graves call these bodies home

I will die behind these eyes
Shed away this skin
Detach from the flesh machine I was embedded in
Separate perception conscious separates

–Zao, “Jinba Ittai”–

—

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus,
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
  Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

—

What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
–Jesus in Matthew 16:26 (KJV)–

Choose you this day whom ye will serve.
–Joshua 24:15 (KJV)–

Out of the belly of Hell cried I,
and thou heardest my voice.
–Jonah 2:2 (KJV)–

War a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience;
which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.
–1 Timothy 1:18-19 (KJV)–

To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
–Hebrews 3:15 (KJV)–

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.
–Acts 17:27 (KJV)–