All the Shades of Me

All the shades of me

Look closely and you’ll see

They sparkle, they glow, they gleam

Rise from the chimneys, black smoke to white steam

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The shades of me roll down slate icy streams

Creep up the velvet greens of Tennessee

Look closely, there are three:

Envy, lust, its robust, I decree

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But can God handle these shades, can he?

Shades of crimson desert, shades of indigo sea

Shades of vanilla snow tops, shades of burnt umber trees

Shades of russet violence too, I guarantee

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And if he knows these shades I bade

Will he still look deep and bend the knee?

If he seethes all the shades of me

What will he foresee?

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I am locked, he has the key

Will he open me if I plea?

Lay down at the foot of Galilee

Hands clasped, eyes tight, light absentee

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I think it’s solely up to me

I alone have to set my dark shades free

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I try and try to catch my light

But then realize my darkness is alright

Without it, my shades would be too bright

Without it, my self love would be in spite