"The Darkest Place is Bright" - A Poem

there is no shadow without a light
in the dark there is only form, and sound, and smell
yet form without light can hurt
sound removed from vision can frighten

light reveals and guides
it warms and soothes

the broken and cracked it unveils
every illumination conceives a secret
shadows bloom in the presence of light

the light creates a darkness
that hides with every turn
never meeting its creator

the darkest place is bright
born of, but separated from the light
within the brilliance of the sun
a shadow never sees the light

i reach for shadows, burned in light
the scars and wounds reveal themselves
under a blanket of false night
the day unveils what shadows hide
for the darkest place is bright

-Jesse Arnold
03/16/14

68 - Crack Open Scrolls of Ancient Dreams

This is another artist recommended to me by my amazing, intelligent, lovely, funny, sarcastic, dry framing/lawyerish friend, Jess.  She's introduced me to quite a few artists over the past few years.  And several of them have made their way into this series.

It was around this time last year...I think, that I first heard of this band.  And this particular song.  I don't remember where we were going, but we go in her vehicle and she wanted to share them.  And I really liked it.  Great sound, great lyrics.  Very good music.

Song 68
        "Let There Be" from Gungor's Ghosts Upon the Earth

This song just starts of with a quite calm intro.  It slowly builds to amazing crescendo.  The vocals sing in beautiful poetry about Creation.  There is an ethereal glory to these lyrics and sounds.  The building and developing of the song rises and intensifies gradually over the song.

Regardless of what you believe or don't believe...this song is captivating.  It's not so much a normal song as a scene or rhythm to life.  The whole build up leads to one almost quite word.  There is description of darkness, and angels, and scrolls.  But the word that triggers the explosion of sound is the rise of repeated refrains of, Let there be...let there be...let there be..............let there be...light

The music erupts like a star being birthed in darkness.

It gives me chills.  Right now...goose bumps all over.  It's chilling and electrifying.  And as I've said early in this series, Autumn feels like the conception of Spring, and the beginning of all the new and life to come.  What better representation of that that light breaking forth for the first time.

Let there be....


grace, peace + hope-Jesse

49 - But in the Dark I Have No Name

Two ideas, thoughts, things I cling to with all my heart are:  Hope and Wandering.

Hope is a powerful concept.  It can give you wings to soar through the sky, or give you the grit to put one foot in front of the other when you have nothing left.  Then do it again.  It will surround your heart with joy at the goodness that you encounter, or bolster you up when the darkness threatens to engulf you.

Hope is the warmth of light in the good times, and the flicker of illumination in utter night.  I'm not going to preach but there is a specific hope I have that supplements all the rest I have.


Wandering is something altogether different.  I can find hope in wandering.  I don't like staying in one place for too long.  I get the appeal of putting down roots, and settling in.  There is a part of me that desires that.  But the larger part of me needs to keep moving.  Not because I am compelled to, or feel driven to, but a desire to see and experience something...different.

Wandering give you the chance to just keep going, keep seeing, and keep meeting new folks and places.

Today's song catches both those ideas.

Song 49
        "Hopeless Wanderer" from Mumford & Sons latest, Babel.

There is so much in each of their songs.  It's been hard to not just do every song off this album.  And their first.  They are pretty much definitive of the season for me, but also work year round too.  The intro piano just hooks me in like a current.  Before you know it the river is pulling you further and faster, until you hit the chorus that turns into thrilling white water.

I love the lyrics in the bridge the most:

So when your hope's on fire
But you know your desire
Don't hold a glass over the flame
Don't let your heart grow cold
I will call you by name
I will share your road

For me this feels like someone else is speaking.  Encouraging and challenging the voice of the rest of the song.  There is such a hopefulness to this song that just lifts me up, and pulls me a long...depending on the day.

grace, peace & hope
-Jesse