This was the start of what I had hoped would be a longer set of verses, but it didn’t happen. I just didn’t perceive a direction to take from here:
Paul:
I’m in chains, bound to You, Lord
with a ‘son’ who slaves for me
I return him to his master
Set him free
Onesimus:
I ran away from a brother
who has always enslaved me
now my ‘father’ sends me to him
Set me free
Philemon:
I once owned this useless one
who now bows and offers me
a plea from my dear brother
to set him free
Break me now, break me always
when my heart’s too hard to see
that I’m the point of grace
Lord, set me free
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” ~ Galatians 5:1
Help me out with this, will y’all?
Blog In My Own Eye 
Okay, you’ve got a verse from the viewpoint of each of the major players in the story of Philemon followed by a chorus from the viewpoint of a modern Christian, each ending with a variation on a plea to be set free. If you want to extend things another cycle, you might focus on the transformation needed by each speaker so you could end each with the affirmation, “I am free.”This reminds me a little of a poem I wrote years ago which I’m not sure you’ve seen.LAZARUS RISINGThree days in darknessDeeper than the nightWound in the bindings of the graveWithout light, without warmthWithin the tomb of stoneThe Master speaks my nameAnd I arise.A lifetime in darknessDeeper than the graveBound in the windings of sinWithout hope, without peaceWithin the heart of stoneI speak the Master’s nameAnd I arise.Oh, and happy birthday!Steve
Steve, thanks! I can’t think of a better birthday gift from an old friend and a respected poet than the gift of verse – and a direction for “Onesimus.”I kinda remember “Lazarus Rising” – was it a piece we thought about publishing in “Yellow Journal” (or whatever we would have ended up calling it)?Jump back a couple of blog entries to “Stop A Head” – do you remember that trip, as half of the couple in the back?
You don’t need anymore, leave it as is. This post is awesome!