Richard Moss, M.D.

Articles/Blog

Chastise You With Scorpions

By Richard Moss MD

November 13 2024

Our cruel masters ignite the passions,

They rub fleshy hands with pleasure and delight.

How best to deceive, they ponder with malice,

Their appetites reach into the night.

Speak gently to us and relieve our yoke,

Asked the people to the king.

But he did not listen and said, 

I will chastise you with scorpions, not with a ring.



Be a servant unto the people, this day,

Return us to Judah, and our holy city. 

Hold your venom that wounds,

Conceal your sharp thorns and take pity.

Anoint the chosen, to lead you through the valley,

Return swiftly before nightfall to your house.

The moon has not risen, it is dusk,

Remember the prophets, to God you must renounce.

The innocents do not recall,

A medley descends that will not sing.

Even as their burden draws blood,

He said, I will chastise you with scorpions, not with a ring.

Why follow the cruelty of the pyramid?

We seek honey, not calves of gold.

Where is the copper earth you promised?

You betray us with song, it is cold.

Our leaders play cruel melodies,

Their clemencies blind us to false innocence.

Your oaths are words you have broken,

Stolen chambers know your arrogance.

Trumpets are not fountains,

The despised sleep and cannot drink.

Your false promises singe our lips,

He said, I will chastise you with scorpions, not with a ring.

Clouds gather as vengeful tribes,

War summons the eulogy.

How to answer the inaudible prayers?

In the temples there are dreams of mutiny.

False prophets have spread rumors of war,

The laws are as dust, trod over by a king.

Lies are a currency, wine does not soothe,

We have fallen by your deceit, winter is not spring.

Echoes of a citadel, sound amidst the ruin,

Appetites of mercy soar without a wing.

Where is our Solomon to judge our fate?

Or Young David who slayed the giant with a sling?

Whispers of glory, sustain those who sleep,

I will chastise you, he said, with scorpions, not with  a ring.

1Kings 12:14

Try That In Gaza

By Richard Moss MD

August 2024

Visitors from elsewhere,

We did not ask you to come.

You smash our statues,

And attack our schools.

You wear the head dress,

Of a violent group.

You claim hatred of our country,

But why are you here?

You swear you are oppressed,

But who is your oppressor?

The Holy Land was given

To the People of the Book

Chorus:

Wear your head scarf,

And claim oppression.

Queers for Palestine?

Try that in Gaza.

Three thousand years,

When the Red Sea was parted.

The Bible is God’s word,

And He chose Moses.

You had your chance,

To live in peace.

But war is what you want,

And Hitler is your hero.

So, why study here?

When paradise is there?

Put on your keffiyeh, 

And return to your homes. 

Chorus:

Wear your head scarf,

And claim oppression.

Queers for Palestine?

Try that in Gaza.

Israel left, 

and offered peace.

It could have been Miami,

But you prefer Hamas.

You burn our flag,

And occupy our streets.

You wail injustice,

While attacking our land.

10/7 is your holiday,     

You massacred 1200.

You raped and tortured, 

God’s chosen people.

You sowed the wind,

You shall reap the whirlwind.

Every member of Hamas,

Is a dead man walking.

You attacked Israel,

And the chosen people.

Vengeance is mine,

Saith the Lord.

Chorus

Wear your head scarf,

And claim oppression.

Queers for Palestine?

Try that in Gaza.

When The Red Sea Was Parted

By Richard Moss MD

Visitors from elsewhere,

We did not ask you to come.

You smash our statues,

And takeover our schools.

You wear the head dress,

Of a violent group.

You claim hatred of our country,

But why are you here?

You swear you are oppressed,

But who is your oppressor?

The Holy Land was given

To the People of the Book

Chorus:

Three thousand years,

When the Red Sea was parted.

The Bible is God’s word,

And He chose Moses.

You had your chance,

To live in peace.

But war is what you want,

And Hitler is your hero.

So, why study here?

When paradise is there?

Go home to your homeland,

And wear your keffiyeh.

Israel left,

and offered to help.

It could have been Miami,

But you prefer Hamas.

Chorus:

Three thousand years,

When the Red Sea was parted.

The Bible is God’s word,

And He chose Moses.

You burn our flag,

And wreck our streets.

You wail injustice,

While attacking our land.

Your ways are better,

Or so you claim.

You wave your banners,

But you came here.

You were offered peace,

You massacred 1200.

Go home to Gaza,

You’ll be happier there.

Chorus

Three thousand years,

When the Red Sea was parted.

The Bible is God’s word,

And He chose Moses.

The Soul of Winter

By Richard Moss MD

Winter is the bleakest of times, 

It strips away life and commits other crimes.

Its frigid fingers sink into our flesh,

Winter, like death, takes away what is fresh,

But life returns with a warm caress.

In the frozen landscape, what lessons do you teach?

In the long nights, what morals do you preach?

You capture us like wild beasts,

Yet comfort us like aging priests.

We are frozen in your silvery splendor,

Your hands are brittle, your grip not tender.

We are lost in our lonely labyrinth,

And feebly sip from our glass of absinthe.

In a fever, we dream of spring that approaches,

We are weary of winter’s harsh reproaches.

Gazing at mirrors, we seek new meaning,

In the twilight of our days, we await the long evening.

Turn inward in winter and endure the pain,

The harshness of nature no one can explain.

Winter, like death takes away what is fresh,

But life returns with a warm caress.

Can we recover our souls in the brutal winter,

It is better to seek wisdom from an aging spinster.

Forlorn and abandoned, we grasp the frigid air,

Our lives in ruin, our pain we lay bare.

Our roots are frayed and broken,

The agony and misery remain unspoken.

As we comb the ruins of our lives,

Is there no solution that we can devise?

Faces are withered, our souls are failing,

We commune with the elders who are wise but ailing.

They know the ancient prophecy,

They have wandered the earth in their own odyssey.

Hide not your pain and your faltering lives,

Seek wisdom, they say, that cuts sharper than knives.

Winter, like death, takes away what is fresh,

But life returns with a warm caress.

In the emptiness, we reach for a slip of life,

And embrace the winter as if a wife.

Our souls may fail upon the frozen earth,

Yet there will come imminent rebirth.

Do not hide from mortality,

Defend against winter’s brutality.

End your weeping, vanquish your pride,

For spring shall return and become your bride.

Lakes and rivers will fracture and thaw,

God will establish nature’s law.

New leaves will bud, emerge, and form,

The copper ground will seethe, rise, and warm.

The earth will ply its eternal orbit,

The Lord’s blessing, we will not forfeit.

A Garden will emerge as an ornament,

And spring will come as a sacrament.

Winter, like death, takes away what is fresh,

But life returns with a warm caress.

True Lies

By Richard Moss MD

September 2024

It wasn’t supposed to be this way,

My heart was not an enemy for you to slay.

But words you spoke to make me believe,

Were as true lies you twisted to deceive.

Solomon said that love is sweeter than wine,

But you have dangled my love amidst the swine.

Tears mingled with the dirt beneath my feet,

True lies were intended for you to cheat.

I compared you to the golden horses of Pharoah,

You took aim and fired your burning arrow.

It flew through the air and entered your target,

But your true lies were only the song of a harlot.

Come sit at the table of merriment,

You are as incense within our tent.

I crave you even as your eyes wander,

Your true lies are knives you use to plunder.

As a lily amidst thorns, I shall abandon you now,

You have made a mockery of your vow.

Stop your weeping, you have sundered our banquet,

Your true lies have cut me like a lancet.

I never wanted to see this day,

When I looked in your eyes, I was moved to pray.

But every word you spoke to make me believe,

Were as true lies you twisted to deceive.

They Gave Me Vinegar to Drink

By Richard Moss MD

September 2024

They took my house and my job away,

I cannot breathe, my wife does not stay.

My children have left me, my world will shrink,

I thought I did good, but they gave me vinegar to drink.

I went to church and read the bible,

I worked two jobs and had a title.

I struggled and raised my family,

I’m not Jesus, I cannot walk the sea.

The whiskey is bitter, I’ll have another shot.

I try to be free, but I’m bound up like a knot.

My enemies surround me, I cannot think.

I thought I did good, but they gave me vinegar to drink.

I have borne the wounds and fell into a hole,

It’s getting dark and waters surround my soul. 

Who will save me, in the hours before dawn,

Help me, O Lord, I am a pawn.

Darken my eyes, so I cannot see,

Lift me from this feast of iniquity.

The mountains hover over me, I must not think,

I thought I did good, but they gave me vinegar to drink.

The dogs nip my heels, as I shelter from the wind,

They do not stop as they lap up my sin.

Still, I will praise him as my soul does sink,

I thought I did good, but they gave me vinegar to drink.

Psalm 69 verse 21

Lost Poems In A Basement

By Richard Moss MD

October 30 2024

I wrote them when a youth,

I read them for you to hear.

I read the great poets too,

And whispered them in your ear.

We crossed the golden bridge each day,

And laughed in that fallen city.

But we were young and sought not penance,

And the mist dissolved all pity,

We sought virtue in each other’s eyes,

And the poems concealed the lies.

We scrambled amidst the thorns,

Blinded by the shadows of the dawn.

Your voice inspired new medleys,

Amidst pyramids, solemn visions spawned.

Can we dissolve our souls in the meadows,

Find rest in words that mourn?

If there was hope in abandoned memories,

Our wishes rested in dreams not born.

We sought virtue in each other’s eyes,

And the poems concealed the lies.

I had to leave the soothing vines,

That wrapped the viper’s nest.

We pretended we could laugh forever,

And incline thy words in jest.

How we dreamed of sacred meadows,

Where we would laugh in the dwindling sun.

Were poems a potion for the soul?

Did your songs conceal a gun.

We sought virtue in each other’s eyes,

And the poems concealed the lies.

If the morning raised pillars of doubt,

How to quench your vicious appetite?

Poems were weapons in the sky,

They blessed your immaculate sight.

I left the poems to betray your lust,

In the basement on Hugo Street near the park.

Covered over by sands of memory,

In the shifting perfidy after dark.

A lasting edifice to your innocence,

I would seek them, for mercy, and the desultory ark.

I grasped for their clemency,

They are trapped in time, concealed by a star.

Abandoned at birth,

They are lost children at night.

Brought into the world,

I left them in the basement, seeking fragments of light.

Still, I could not survive the web of your voice,

It enchanted as if an instrument.

Yet they wounded souls in despair,

Our survival were the lost poems in the basement,

They ravaged my soul in the ravine.

No tears arose from the firmament.

We sought virtue in each other’s eyes,

And the poems concealed the lies.

I Went To The Preacher

By Richard Moss MD

October 26 2024

In my younger days,

I went wondering in places not pretty.

Through the streets and alleys,

Of a dark, dirty city.

There were hoodlums and wise guys,

You had to watch where you went.

My friends got into trouble,

Mommas didn’t pay the rent.

I went to the preacher, who prayed on his knees,

He will smite those who are evil, the Lord you must please.

We had no money,

My momma had to work.

Watch where you go, son,

Where there is darkness evil lurks.

The streets were awful bad,

It was worse when came the night.

You watched your every step,

Bad dudes came to fight.

I went to the preacher, who prayed on his knees,

He will smite those who are evil, the Lord you must please.

My momma watched over me,

She said, son you have to pray.

Be careful who you stay with,

Follow the Lord and do not stray.

I didn’t listen to my mother,

I stayed out late and walked the streets.

I fought and drank,

I did evil and learned to cheat.

One night I lost my mind,

The police caught me as I ran.

My momma cried before the court,

But, said the judge, he murdered another man.

I went to the preacher, who prayed on his knees,

He will smite those who are evil, the Lord you must please.

In all my years in jail, 

My momma saw me every day.

Why son didn’t you listen,

To the preacher who taught you to pray.

I can’t change what I have done, Mom,

But I can go now to the Lord.

To accept my sin and forgive me,

And not strike me with his sword.

I went to the preacher, who prayed on his knees,

He will smite those who are evil, the Lord you must please.

Time has come and gone,

I asked forgiveness every day.

Momma never forgot me,

Her tears were on the floor then the Lord took her away.

The years passed before they finally let me out,

I came as a youth, angry as can be.

I left jail an old man,

Alone and humble but able to see.

I went to the preacher, who prayed on his knees,

He will smite those who are evil, the Lord you must please.

If I had a message for children,

I’d tell them to listen to your mother.

Read the bible, do not forget,

To treat everyone like a brother.

I cannot change the past,

But you can learn from my mistake.

Read the good book and pray,

Follow the Lord for God’s sake.

Heaven Renders Judgement

By Richard Moss MD

October 19, 2024

The gardens fail with the dwindling sun,

There is glory in the dying of the season.

Darkness now comes early,

But do not object, that is treason.

Seasons pass the lonely forest,

Where is my strength amidst the resting hill?

Obey when heaven renders judgement.

Even the earth fears and is still.

I lost my dream in the midst of sleep,

Where is our sanctuary even as we dream?

We accept your tender mercies,

Thine arrows pierce the stream.

Can I betroth the fallen sky,

Sing a melody as we kill?

Obey when heaven renders judgement.

Even the earth fears and is still.

I cried to heaven with my voice,

Was there a trophy of the sun?

In the day of trouble, we sought the Lord.

Alas, there was no victory to be won.

What cruelty prevails in the fallen earth?

Can we find comfort and lose our will?

Obey when heaven renders judgement.

Even the earth fears and is still.

I cling to the sky,

And tremble before your power.

My infirmity extends a dark shadow,

I will miss the warmth of your broken flower.

If I press the dry leaf upon my arm,

The emptiness frightens but will not kill.

Obey when heaven renders judgement.

Even the earth fears and is still.

The cold waters gather around you,

The thunder of your voice pierces the depths.

Deliver us from solitude,

Redeem us soon, our loyalty is kept.

I will speak of your works,

The long shadow of your miracle, 

Obey when heaven renders judgement.

Even the earth fears and is still.

When David Slew Goliath

By Richard Moss MD

Fear not as David did not,

Rise up and do not fall away.

The Lord will remember you,

He will deliver you this day.

Tremble not before the clamor,

And hearken not to the sword.

For David was but a youth,

When he came before the Lord.

The Philistines were gathered,

Behind the giant, Goliath.

They stood in the valley of Elah,

And Israel shuddered before his wrath.

I defy the armies of Israel, said Goliath,

Send me a man, not odd.

Who is this Philistine, asked David,

That he mocks the armies of God?

Let no man’s heart fail,

Said David to King Saul.

Thy servant will go out,

 I will slay this Philistine, and not fall.

But thou are but a youth, said Saul.

And he is a man of war.

Thy servant slew lion and bear, said David,

And he shall now hear Israel roar.

Am I a dog, said Goliath,

When he saw David with staff.

I will feed thy flesh to the beasts of the field,

Said the giant with a laugh.

I come in the name of the Lord, said David,

Who leadeth His people to glory.

I will smite thee, and all the earth will know, 

There is a God of Israel.

David slew the giant with sling and stone,

He smote him and removed his head.

When the Philistines saw  Goliath dead,

From the field of Elah they fled.

David rose in name and praise,

And would one day wear the ring.

He found favor with God all his days,

And became Israel’s greatest king. 

Repent

By Richard Moss MD

We avow that we have spoken evil.

We have broken faith since antiquity,

Our sins are great, our souls are feeble.

For centuries we endured captivity.

Hold thy anger, O Lord, against the sheep of thy pasture,

Our wrongs have been many and we are guilty.

Can we atone for our sins and restore the rapture.

Return O Israel for you have fallen by your iniquity.

We have dealt falsely and perverted the right,

We have forged falsehood and lent evil counsel.

Remember thy temple, and remove sin from your sight.

Lift us from despair, and rebuild our castle.

We declare that we have broken faith,

We have erred from Thy path in Your sacred city.

We have transgressed, and shattered thy Holy gate,

Return O Israel for you have fallen by your iniquity.

We have turned aside thy loving commandments,

We have done wrong and led others astray.

We will return to your sanctuary, and dispel all amendments,

Our enemies smash us, we are made of clay.

In our holy places, the prophets cast fire,

You divided the sea by your command without pity.

Your eternal word has delivered us, You will not tire,

Return O Israel for you have fallen by your iniquity.

Our father and king, shield us for thou art just,

For the children of Thy covenant, we pledge fealty.

Pardon our sins and remember that we are but dust,

Return O Israel for you have fallen by your iniquity.

Paint the Sky

By Richard Moss MD

I go to temple, and read the prayer,

I see you there, so precious and rare.

I’m living my own song of Solomon,

I was happy to be your adoring son.

Get me my brushes, son, get me my paint.

Why Mom, I asked, for she was my saint.

Just get them my son, and I will fly, 

To the heavens above, so I can paint the sky.

Yes, Mom, I said, 

With a spirit not faint.

I’ll soon find your brushes

And your paints

I looked under the benches,

It was urgent, I knew.

Behind the bushes,

By the rocks, I threw.

How could she do it,

I wondered aloud.

Could she soar so high,

To touch the cloud.

Get me my brushes, son, get me my paint.

Why Mom, I asked, for she was my saint.

Just get them my son, and I will fly, 

To the heavens above, so, I can paint the sky.

I was only five,

When she commanded me as such.

I would do it for my mother,

It was not asking too much.

How could she do it?

I wondered aloud.

For a child like me,

I would be so proud.

I looked by the swings,

The see-saw and the rocks.

I looked by the trees,

I looked in my socks.

I was on a mission,

A child for his mother.

She raised my brothers and me,

Fatherless, there was no other.

Get me my brushes, son, get me my paint.

Why Mom, I asked, for she was my saint.

Just get them my son, and I will fly, 

To the heavens above, so, I can paint the sky.

I adored her like a queen,

She cared for us and kept us clean.

There were five boys that she dutifully raised, 

To her we happily swore all praise.

She dressed and fed us, 

And helped us to see.

The wonders of nature,

From the Deity.

I was her young prince,

She was my queen.

I would defend and guard her,

From those who made a scene.

She taught us the bible,

And read the prayers.

She lit the candles,

In the kitchen and downstairs. 

Get me my brushes, son, get me my paint.

Why Mom, I asked, for she was my saint.

Just get them my son, and I will fly, 

To the heavens above, so, I can paint the sky.

She taught us to believe,

And never to doubt.

To have faith in the Creator,

Inside and out.

I looked and looked for her brushes and paints,

Hurry, hurry, so she may ascend with the saints, 

The sun was setting and red was the sky.

Painting heaven with God, I would never deny.

She laughed at her boy, 

Still looking around.

Mom, the sun is setting,

It is crimson and round.

There is no time, 

The clouds are on fire.

You must help God

To paint, the moment is dire.

Come here, my son,

She said with a smile.

She held my hand and hugged me,

And we walked a mile.

We’ll paint the sky another day,

My son, but we can pray.

At the wonder of nature,

And the God we obey.

Get me my brushes, son, get me my paint.

Why Mom, I asked, for she was my saint.

Just get them my son, and I will fly, 

To the heavens above, so, I can paint the sky.

Let Me Take You to Neptune

By Richard Moss MD

I would wait for the snows to hear you say,

That you are with me and here to stay.

I’ll make a blissful noise and sing with joy,

To see you in glory, do not be coy.

You’ll be my queen, I submit to your splendor,

To feel your hands upon me so tender.

Let me take you to Neptune, 

It’s not so far.

The last planet, 

Behind the stars.

I was born to be with you,

My past has gone with the morning dew.

Nothing was born before you came to me,

To you, I swear I will bend the knee.

I have no memory of life before you,

My soul waits for what I always knew.

Let me take you to Neptune, 

It’s not so far.

The last planet, 

Behind the stars.

I would cross the ocean on a raft,

Only to see and hear you laugh.

But memories are vague and like the mist,

They disappear with the last kiss.

Your eyes are diamonds in my memory,

But towards you, I will move however painfully.

Let me take you to Neptune, 

It’s not so far.

The last planet, 

Behind the stars.

The sin of my mouth and the words of my lips,

Are shattered with the wine we sip.

I hold your hand like a fallen angel,

I am your slave, do not be vengeful.

Hear my cry, O Queen, attend my prayer,

All the days we have left, let us share.

Let me take you to Neptune, 

It’s not so far.

The last planet, 

Behind the stars.

It is a blue planet, far from the sun,

I will whisk you there, for my heart you have won.

You will shatter the distance,

Time shortened to an instant.

For you are my queen, and I your servant,

Every moment we share is a prayer most fervent.

Let me take you to Neptune, 

It’s not so far.

The last planet, 

Behind the stars.

Latte Revolution

By Richard Moss MD

It used to be so simple,

A cup of Joe was all you had.

When did it all change?

It wasn’t so bad.

I’ll go back to the simple days, to my coffee and cream,

It was good before Star Bucks and Latte extreme.

I like rock and roll and my Chevrolet,

I knocked on your door and you let me stay.

I like holding the door,

Lady’s First was not a bore.

Who needs espresso?

With lavender and foam?

It ain’t worth six bucks,

And I’ll keep my pick-up trucks.

There’s a place on every corner,

There are no mechanics, but we have baristas.

The country’s gone, it cannot see.

But it’s latte time, and its sugar free.

I’ll go back to the simple days, to my coffee and cream,

It was good enough before Star Bucks and Latte extreme.

Lattes have spread,

In every capitol, we’re about to drown.

It’s more important than penicillin,

And don’t forget to change the linen.

It’s a revolution, you don’t need a car.

Just drop in on any corner, step up to the bar.

It’s milk and foam, espresso and flavor,

Sugar free or plain, iced, hot, and savor.

Try vanilla, caramel, or coconut, you see.

Lavender, chai, matcha and it’s gluten free.

Can you play country in latte world?

Does matcha work in Tennessee?

I still like my cup of Joe and cream,

A buck 25 and ready to dream.

I’ll go back to the simple days, to my coffee and cream,

It was good enough before Star Bucks and Latte extreme.

Pretty girls like lattes,

Offer a sip and ready to talk.

Forget your beer, forget your bars

If you want to meet them, it’s lattes and guitars.

It’s a new world,

Minds have changed, 

I’ll try vegan and oat milk,

In the latte range.

You know that I want to stay with you,

Hold hands in the crystal dew.

We can sip our lattes and gaze at the stars

Romance in the new age, and hide the scars.

I’ll do it for you, I’ll give up my Joe.

I’ll climb the sacred mountain and then go below. 

It’s the latte world we live in.

Will it save me from sin?

Is it now oatmilk and yogurt?

Or avotoast and tacos.

Hide the latte, 

I’ll stick with the Joes.

I’ll go back to the simple days, to my coffee and cream,

It was good enough before Star Bucks and Latte extreme.

Immigrant Father

By Richard Moss MD

A fierce wind tore the mountain,

Jealous ancestors sent you, father, here.

The storm cracked the cathedral and fountain, 

It was more than you could bear.

You crossed the golden sea alone, to enter the promised land,

The forsaken hills of home cried out and begged you to return.

You saw the harbor and the bridge, and never turned your hand.

Immigrant Father, preach the covenant, your family will learn.

Dream up, pilgrim, the dynasty will bless you,

An uneasy land weeps, become an assassin.

Stand upon the highland, and see the bird that flew,

Plough the shoulders of the earth, follow God’s promise and do not sin.

The earth knows that broken land will speak,

Its message moves you from the cave.

The wilderness of Canaan beckons, do not be meek,

The dirt wears the blood of martyrs, and flowers must be brave.

The covenant was tattered, the soil was not kissed,

The seeds laughed and God’s sacrifice did not burn.

Save us, O father, the land weeps and has not bliss,

Immigrant Father, preach the covenant, your family will learn.

The opponents gather when the foothills rage,

The corn and wheat oppose us.

We have torn down, O Father, the altars and sage,

The silver ornaments bleed as the sun evades the dusk.

Thus, saith the Lord at Sinai, 

Honor your parents and do not yearn.

For he has ministered with a jealous eye,

Immigrant Father, preach the covenant, your family will learn.

He Let Me Get Up Today

By Richard Moss MD

September 15, 2024

I’ve been wandering in a daze,

Confused by the clouds and haze.

You pointed an arrow at the apple,

And the world came down around the chapel.

My faith did weaken against the hard rain, 

He said a kingdom dwells within the pain.

He let me get up today and see,

Now the rest is on me.

Go forth and tame the wild beast,

There is ruin around you but also a feast.

What fear have you when eternity beckons,

Embrace your soul, it is not a felon.

Your wife has left you,

Your children launched a coup.

Against you the trees and rivers have conspired,

And no one is left to inspire.

The clouds set upon you with malice,

The seasons gather and take you to the palace.

Earth cracks open and swallows,

The noose hangs from the gallows.

My faith did weaken against the hard rain, 

He said a kingdom dwells within the pain.

He let me get up today and see,

Now the rest is on me.

The dark clouds threaten your vision,

Mirrors mislead you but extract you from prison.

A hard rain is coming but don’t despair,

God will be merciful as long as you care.

Where in the heavens is the broken earth?

It cracked open, rained, and stole the hearse.

O Lord may the earth yield her increase, 

We praise you and sing that the flood waters cease.

O God will you speak and let our enemies scatter,

Even Sinai will bow and not flatter.

We await your truth and sing your praise,

For the blood of your law will extend our days.

My faith did weaken against the hard rain, 

He said a kingdom dwells within the pain.

He let me get up today and see,

Now the rest is on me.

Drunk, But Not With Wine

By Richard Moss MD

You are smitten with yourself,

Blinded by greed.

You cannot see clearly,

And will not awaken until you bleed.

Isaiah warned the sinners,

To follow the Lord and witness the sign.

But you are consumed with greed,

You are drunk, but not with wine.

Awaken, O Jerusalem,

Stand now with the Lord.

Or you will drink His cup of fury,

And soon will come the sword.

You are blinded by conceits,

And your own lies have deceived you.

The Lord that parted the waters, 

Will hold you to the Laws you once knew.

Isaiah warned the sinners,

To follow the Lord and see the sign.

But you are consumed with greed,

You are drunk, but not with wine.

Turn from evil, 

and take from the Lord’s cup.

You worship at false shrines,

To your father, you must look up.

Earthly pleasures surround you,

And everyone acclaims you.

But you are lost to the Lord’s way,

Awaken, God calls you to pass through.

Isaiah warned the sinners,

To follow the Lord and see the sign.

But you are consumed with greed,

You are drunk, but not with wine.

Destiny

By Richard Moss MD

I knew it from that first glance,

You turned your head and took a chance.

You looked at me and brushed your hair,

Your eyes locked on mine as if in prayer.

I knew right away you were the one.

I could not escape you; you were the sun.

The spell was hidden, as if in ecstasy,

If there is such a thing, this was destiny.

Your voice was as a song,

With eyes burning and strong.

Your auburn hair was aflame,

Your ivory skin cleansed all shame.

Your manner, your gaze, and your easy grace,

Swept over me from some faraway place.

You smiled and offered a soft hello,

I thought I knew you from ages ago.

I would walk with you across the lands,

Over mountains and blazing desert sands.

Your grace and manner were beyond compare,

Your voice was gentle like a prayer.

To be your hero was all I need,

A moment with you transcended all greed.

I would risk it all and launch a thousand ships,

To bring you home and kiss your lips.

I knew right away you were the one.

I could not escape you; you were the sun.

The spell was hidden, as if in ecstasy,

If there is such a thing, this was destiny.

Hear my voice, O sovereign Lord,

Save me from the sharpened sword.

You have kindly delivered to me,

A refuge from iniquity.

Lord, my enemies will awaken in fear,

Before this, I could never hold so dear.

A perfect mate, like you have brought to me,

You answer all doubts, weakness, and pleas.

I will walk the earth in happy wonder,

That in a life so grievous and torn asunder,

I can share my days with so lovely a mate,

You lift me to this happy fate.

I knew right away you were the one.

I could not escape you; you were the sun.

The spell was hidden, as if in ecstasy,

If there is such a thing, this was destiny.

Come Down to Earth

By Richard Moss MD

You haven’t been the same,

Your eyes don’t look into mine.

You are wandering and lost,

And you don’t seem fine.

It was better before,

You remember the score.

You looked at me,

There was magic to see.

Everything was light,

Like a sun, you were bright.

You took my breath away,

You made me falter and sway.

Come down to earth,

Sweet lady.

Come down to earth right now.

I need you here, like a flower needs rain.

I will never abandon you despite the pain.

Come down to earth right now.

You grasped my hand,

There was magic in the air.

You came to me,

We were meant to be a pair.

If I hurt you, 

I didn’t mean to.

If I let you down,

I won’t do it again.

I can live forever in the magic of your gaze,

I can stay with you the rest of my days.

All I need is your sweet sweet smile

For that I would climb a mile.

Come down to earth,

Sweet lady.

Come down to earth right now.

I need you here, like a flower needs rain.

I will never abandon you despite the pain.

Come down to earth right now.

If I could stand in your presence,

And hold you near.

I would never give up,

Your magic and flair.

I would surrender my life,

To be next to you.

To bask in your magic,

To lose it would be tragic.

All I ask is that you come down to earth,

Stay with me here,

I will never leave you,

I swear.

Come down to earth sweet lady,

And never depart.

I swear my life to you,

And give you my heart.

I would spend my days in the wonder of your gaze.

And never lose sight of you despite the haze.

Come down to earth, sweet lady.

I need you here, like a flower needs rain.

I will never abandon you despite the pain.

Come down to earth, right now.

Don’t push me away,

I need you here like a flower needs rain.

Bare Knuckles Bronx

By Richard Moss MD

I live in the middle of the Midwest now,

In a farm town next to pigs and cows.

Where country folk say good morning and tip their hat,

Always ready to smile and chat.

It’s a long way from the bare knuckles Bronx,

Where people ain’t safe in the honky tonks.

You watched where you went in the middle of the day,

You move damn fast and never betray.

I got used to it here in my small town,

I could walk at night and wear my crown.

No one ever had a bad thing to say,

You went to church and learned to pray.

The schools were good, streets were safe,

You walked at night and kept your faith.

Your kids came home and didn’t swear,

You let them run free without a care.

You took your life in your hands in the city streets,

We played stickball and skully, but took the heat.

We ate pastrami and knishes at the deli,

And pizza, strombolis, peanut butter and jelly.

We grew up right near Yankee Stadium,

The neighborhood was rough, it wasn’t a palladium.

Mantle and Maris chased Babe Ruth,

When the Red Sox came, they’d knock out a tooth.

Police cars roamed the streets, sirens blazing,

Hoodlums and thieves carried guns and not praising.

We hung out on the streets and turned the music on,

With so many people, there were plenty of cons.

But it was great to grow up in the Bronx,

So many memories and friends throwing rocks.

It was a place of danger and deadly scuffles,

But looking back, some things made you chuckle.

I remember the people who became my friends,

They stood by you always ready to defend.

I’m glad I grew up in the big city,

But I knew people gunned down, it wasn’t pretty.

It’s a long way from the bare knuckles Bronx,

Where people ain’t safe in the honky tonks.

You watched where you went in the middle of the day,

You move damn fast and never betray.

The memories are great when you come from the Bronx,

But people will steal your wallet and even your socks.

Sure most people are friendly and decent,

But it could get dangerous if there was disagreement.

Yes this hillbilly from the Bronx, loves Midwest people,

Enjoys the gathering at the church steeple.

I like country roads, the cornfields and soy,

And the country ladies smile, lovely and coy.

It’s not spectacular but it sure is appealing,

To live among people sincere with good feeling.

Yes, it’s good to be from the Bronx with bare knuckles.

But I like country folk who tighten their buckles.

It’s a long way from the bare knuckles Bronx,

Where people ain’t safe in the honky tonks.

You watched where you went in the middle of the day,

You move damn fast and never betray.

Forgive Us

By Richard Moss MD

Lord who are mighty into eternity,

Remember us for life, divine King.

Inscribe us in the book of salvation, shall we see.

Wilt thou redeem us upon your wing?

Thou are mighty in saving the living,

Thou sustain us by distilling the dew.

Thou upholdest those who fall by giving,

Thou loosenest the bound and remember the few.

Who is like unto thee, merciful father,

Faithful art thou, for life you bring.

Even those who sleep in the dust you gather,

Wilt thou redeem us upon your wing?

Come let us return to the Lord,

For though He has wounded, He will heal us.

He will bind our wounds and withhold His sword.

And on the third day He will raise us.

Remember unto us the covenant with Abraham,

Be merciful, O Lord, we carry no ring.

The heavens break, we shall be your lamb.

Wilt thou redeem us upon your wing?

Forgive us, we lent evil counsel,

We led others astray and erred from thy path.

Though the winds roar, we shall be your vassal,

We have broken faith, and receive your wrath.

Deliver us, we have no king but thee,

Pestilence abounds, angels renounce the spring.

We are but dust, our prayers stolen to sea,

Wilt thou redeem us upon your wing?

Save us for we are blinded by greed,

Remember thine anointed David and Moses.

Can light emerge from scattered seeds,

You dealt with us in truth, by Your hand spread roses.

Answer us Thou strength of Jacob,

Inscribe us in the book of the good, we sing.

Forgive us, O God, may Thy mercy be moved,

Wilt thou redeem us upon your wing?

Gone Astray

By Richard Moss MD

October 2024

Return O Israel, for thou have stumbled in sin,

Remember the Sabbath, and be holy.

Where Sinai spoke and seared our skin,

We cross the desert for the Lord only.

Pardon, O Lord, our iniquity and evil,

Remember Isaac bound on the altar.

In our passion for the Lord, we will not be feeble.

We have gone astray, but shall not falter.

Penance shall follow all my deeds,

For we are covetous as the wolf.

The dry rocks have pierced us and we bleed,

Will the renegade sun cleanse our fallen souls?

Merciful God, remember unto us the covenant with Moses,

The sands we crossed to become sons and daughters.

Return to the Lord and remember all he says,

We have gone astray, but we shall not falter.

The darkened sky blinds us like a knife,

You have burned our eyes but we can still see.

We have forgotten Sinai but remember life.

The Lord is compassionate and so it must be.

On the Sabbath of Return, we bear the scars,

For we have turned over your commandments and the altar.

How shall we pray to you enthroned beyond the stars?

We have gone astray, but we shall not falter.

My mother returned to God on the Sabbath of Return,

I wept upon the silver necklace she wore from the Holy Land.

O Lord, receive our prayers, we shall learn.

Afflict our souls in a divided sea, Hosea warns us from amidst the sand.

Bless Me With Good Judgement

By Richard Moss MD

I came upon the swirling sea, adrift in confusion,

I sought righteousness, even as wisdom fled me. 

How may I render a proper conclusion,

Bless me with good judgement, O Lord, that truth I rightly see.

The people are many, I cannot know the path,

How to judge so vast a nation?

For I seek refuge from your wrath.

Lest, your mountains will chasten.

I have asked this thing, not riches,

Before the sanctuary, I bend my knee.

For the mountains have no bridges,

Bless me with good judgement, O Lord, that truth I rightly see.

I will fill my mouth with praise,

As mist, the sun burns away.

I obey you, O Lord, all my days,

Before the arc I sacrifice and pray.

I will follow you to Jerusalem,

Riches and honor you have bestowed me.

There the temple breaks the crooked stem.

Bless me with good judgement, O Lord, that truth I rightly see.

I will not split the baby, O Lord,

I will know the righteous mother.

The angels will sing as I spare the sword,

For God’s wisdom will have no other.

Thank you, Lord, for you lengthen my days,

The oceans guide me to bow before thee.

You bestow grace upon Israel as we follow your ways,

Bless me with good judgement, O Lord, that truth I rightly see.