Anita K. Palmer has always turned to pen and paper to figure out what she thinks, feels, and believes. That propensity launched a career when she fell into editing a Christian publication, which—unrelated to her hiring—soon went to magazine heaven. The experience failed to squelch an appetite for editorial work that included thirteen years in daily newspapers and five as a university media relations officer. For two decades she has worked with publishers and individuals on upward of 125 nonfiction books, and has written more web content, blog posts, newsletters and marketing materials than she cares to count. Born and reared in Southern California, she now lives in Colorado. She is blessed with many dear friends and one kind and brilliant adult son.

Take to the Fields 

by Matthew Clark

I saw a man with a bleeding heart 

A bleeding heart 

Ragged as the wind, eager to begin 

Oh, his eyes they were clear as gold 

Searching out the crags  

Tender, strong and sad 

Gave up all he had, left his home behind him 

Gone a-seeking 

CHORUS

If you got eyes to see

Come keep watch with me 

If you got ears to hear 

I pray you know 

The Lord is near

I saw a house full of shepherds in repose 

Moths ate off their clothes 

All naked emperors, wrapped in soothing words 

But you skinned your knees when you slid to break my fall 

I howled up at the moon 

When the salt got in the wound, the fire licked my tomb 

And fire rolled like water there to cleanse me 

So take to the fields, oh take to the roads 

Wonder at the thorns that bite into the rose 

Cut down to the bones

Take your pail and gather where you can 

The field is ripe with grain, and scattered sheep like sand 

Too little callous on my hands, there is mercy on the wind 

If you can hear it 

©2023 Matthew Clark, Path in the Pines Music (ASCAP)