There's a Balm In Gilead

Scriptural Basis

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay has taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Jeremiah 8:21-22

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ;he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3


I Still Believe there is a Balm in Gilead
Performance Piece

Written by Michelle Milam
Lyrics Adapted from the Classic Negro Spiritual “There’s A Balm in Gilead”
Preformed by Magenta

Sung:
There’s a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There’s healing for the soul…
There’s healing for your soul….

Poem:
Yesterday I saw her
The city they say never shines
The city they say never learns
The city they say will never win

The shadowed new Jerusalem
haunted by her stolen sons

but one
bright morning
I saw her;

the warmth of the sunlight
as it dances in the curves of her sometimes
crumbled streets
the sweetness of her young, but scarred feet—

Her brown
smoothed skinned men
cleaning yards in the Pullmans
Officer Harris smiling
as islands of potential, young and crisp
stand around him
in the afternoon
two men breaking ground
in communion
green fields welcoming the steps
of soccer players
the sounds of the blues
echoing through time
when we launched a thousand ships
and built a life in Seaport, Parchester, North Richmond
new foundations
growing from unyielding concrete
the nape of her lovely neck caressed
by children's laughter
the echoes of her heels
in the hands of women of praise

Sung:
There’s a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There’s healing for the soul…
There’s healing for your soul….


Poem:
I still believe there is a balm in Gilead
that heals the souls of
wounded women
and she is a walking wound
this woman; our city
our mother

her beauty is in her strength
strength rooted in her pain
pain rooted in her sorrow
from what dreams may come?

see her run?

She is a wanton woman
we love her unevenly
build her up to tear down
place on a pedestal, but what has she done with our sons?
Yet not one can save her,
them
except Jesus

she is a woman
who has fallen and traipsed through the throws of
winters
and come up spring
beloved and battered
eve
mother of all things
wounded from the loss of her children

daughters who are looking for her
through the wilderness of youth
sons on brilliant rims in souped up coups
looking for streets of gold
to walk run heaven all day

But I still believe there is a balm in Gilead
that heals the soul
that moves the mind
that bonds brothers
that mends hearts
that moves mountains
and soothes the ear

I still believe that the wounded woman
is the one God hears
like "Ishmael"
and that change is
more than
what is in our pockets
it rests in our hearts
is exchanged by our hands
and it waits on no
one


Sung:
There’s a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There’s healing for the soul…
There’s healing for your soul….

Poem:
There’s a balm
Yes, there’s a balm
You see, I still believe that
in the depths of the darkest valley
that we are not alone
and that pain may take up residence
but the heart is not its home

I still believe
everyday heroes
can be God's angels
reconciliation is possible
street solders can be street soul-jahs
and no kind act forgotten

I still believe that
we can learn
and win
and shine
through him that loves us
that the lamed and maimed
will walk the walk they said we would never

I still believe in the eternal letter
that says death is a comma and not a period
and that like the
wings of butterflies
we need only look and live
to heal the soul
of a mother
and a brother
and a city
that shines
on a hill
facing the source
of the light

Sung:
There’s a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There’s healing for the soul…
There’s healing for your soul…