Sermons on the Subtleties of Love and Hate, Track 8: "Gospel/Homily: Walking Our Path"

This is a spoken word I wrote that is performed on the album by one of my favorite people, my cousin Chris a.k.a. Sleazy C a.k.a. the bassist in Deaf By Arms. He's more like a brother to me than anything, and also one of the most creatively inspiring people I've ever met. This EP is structured similarly to a Catholic mass as it is primarily an exploration of faith and the loss thereof. I believe very strongly in my own capacity to impact the world to a positive degree, and if you do as well, it's possible we could do it together. I have met many amazing people in my life, both religious and non-religious, and it seems like both sides butt heads all too often due to focusing on the differences between them rather than the glaringly obvious similarities like compassion, empathy, understanding, kindness, selflessness, etc. As much as I do not think it is fair to label someone "morally corrupt" because of a lack of faith in a deity, I think it is equally unfair to write someone off as "delusional" or "unrealistic" because of the presence and usage of faith as a guide in their life. With respect to my own faith, it rests within myself and the people I care the most about. Despite his misleading, tongue-in-cheek nickname, my cousin is someone in whom I have immense faith because he possesses the qualities mentioned above and more. His face mirrors mine and I believe we can lead. "Together, together! Defend our yesterdays! Defend our tomorrows! Together, together!" (Thomas Barnett of Strike Anywhere in "Sunset on 32nd Street")

8.) Gospel/Homily: Walking Our Path

They preached, I listened. They pushed, I reacted. Shoved against a wall and presented with a fight, you and I we will not bend, no not tonight. We are not masters of each other, although we counterbalance. At the end of the day, our patience is our strength. Your face is now my faith. It mirrors mine, a face that I believe in. A face that I believe can lead. A face that can reject this world’s greed and hate and self-absorption. A face that will join symbiotic, walk together til the end as we believe in each other. Sister and sister, brother and brother, friend and his other half. The end. Your face, a most beautiful sight. And in your eyes, a triumph. My faith has been affirmed.

"Sermons on the Subtleties of Love and Hate" is Dropping Very Soon!!!!

Not that I actually think that anyone reads anything I put on here, but if you do, you probably know a thing or two about me. I'm in a couple of bands here in Cleveland, both of which are about to release albums. I play solo under the name Soapbox Prophet, and my debut solo EP, entitled "Sermons on the Subtleties of Love and Hate" will be available at the beginning of August. It will feature 6 songs, a few a' cappella tracks, and some poetry/spoken words that I have written that some of my best friends (Soda and Sleazy C from Deaf By Arms, and independent hip-hopper The Revisitor) performed on the album for me.

For anyone paying attention to that project, I am going to begin posting the lyrics/poems up here for people to read if they happen to want to sing along. I'll be doing it in reverse order from 12 to 1 and I should have them all up here before I leave for the small mini-tour I'm doing between August 7 and August 15 with my good friends Presque Vu, Mush Mouth, and MC Homeless & Jinx. Keep your eyes open for them and leave me some love somewhere in the comments if you care to do so. And if you're actually reading any of this stuff, thanks for contributing to my therapy. The arts seem to be all I care about, and I'll argue with anyone that they're all that should ever be cared about. Peace, love, and liberation from the societal chains that bind us!

~Ray