We’re just driftin’...

We're just driftin'...
by Joseph Weilenbeck

I’m afraid that we’re just driftin’

Just driftin’ you and me.

We think we’re headed for the harbor

When in fact we’re all just driftin’ out to sea.

I once knew a man

Who took himself a wife.

They made a vow that they would cherish one another

Every moment of their life.

They both worked their jobs

Long hours every day.

Now they come home late at night

And go to bed without a single word to say.

They don’t know that they’ve been driftin’.

They’re just as blind as they could be.

They thought they’d anchored in safe harbor

When in fact they were just driftin’ out to sea.

And like them we’re all driftin’

Just driftin’ you and me.

We all think we’ll make the harbor

But it seems we just keep driftin’ out to sea.

They once had a boy

They had such great joy at his birth.

Filled with every hope and promise

They thought that he would surely change this earth.

He did all of his homework.

Passed his tests and got his grades.

Now he hides inside in a room and tries

Just livin’ through his pipe and spoon and blades.

Cause all the time he’s just been driftin’

As far away as he could be.

They thought he’d sail into the harbor

But instead he slowly drifted out to sea.

Like him I fear that we’re all driftin’

Yes we’re driftin’ you and me.

Though our demons may be different

The truth is we’re still driftin’ out to sea.

I once knew a pastor

Could preach to reach the dead.

He longed to save all those who’d listen

To the words he said.

He built himself a church

To be a shelter from the storm.

But when the doors were closed and locked

He could not find a single soul to keep him warm.

He found he’d just been driftin’

Though he thought he had the key.

He tried to point the way to harbor

But instead his eyes were fixed upon the sea.

In our own way we’re all just driftin’

Just driftin’ you and me.

Each day no closer to the harbor

But each day we’re so much farther out to sea.

Now we say we have a Savior

Went to the cross that we’d be saved.

We say He died for all our sins

But just the same we go on sinnin’ every day.

Each week we go to church

Where we bow and sing and pray.

We think we’re on our way to Heaven

When in fact we’re all just travelin’ our own way.

We even read the Holy Book

Read some chapters every day.

We say we’re changin’ in our hearts

But we know mostly we’re just learnin’ words to say.

We close our eyes and keep on driftin’.

We’re just driftin’ aimlessly.

And lest we turn back to the harbor

Very soon we’ll be forever lost at sea.

But all the same we go on driftin’

We just keep driftin’ you and me.

The harbor’s faded far behind

While you and me, we just keep driftin’ out to sea.

 -- Joseph Weilenbeck June 17, 2012 

Acknowledgement: The message and rhythm of this poem are inspired by 

the words and rhythm of  Paul Simon's "Slip Slidin' Away"