Powder

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In my opinion, the word “powder” is one of the lamest, lowliest words in our language. This song began as a poem based on the word “powder.” As I sought to set the words to music, 12-bar blues form seemed like it would hold the lyrics well. But it didn’t finally lock in until I dropped a heavy electronic dance beat.

“All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.” (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span><a href="https://markflowerdew.bandcamp.com/album/lenten-carols" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenten Carols by Mark Amadeus Flowerdew</a>

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Lyrics

My body is but powder that God compressed and animated
A piece of chalk which, dragged along, leaves a sidewalk decorated

With each new word He scrawls
This nub of chalk grows small

I keep moving faster, but there’s no need to hurry
Don’t need to be a rasta to have no worries
But I got places to go, people to see,
Forgetting about the all-encompassing reality
That God told his kids He would feed them and dress them
But here I am just hoping that my song will impress them
I’m insecure, cuz one of my greatest fears
Is that my name will be forgotten in a hundred years
But every day as I choose how my life will be filled
I really gotta wonder whose kingdom I build
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, I’ll say it louder
For thine is the kingdom, the glory, and the powder

And as the final word is writ, I’ll look into eternity
But if I choose to look behind, what triumphs will I see?

Just powder, spread so thin throughout the land
Arranged with wisdom by the author’s hand

Just powder
Just powder
Just powder
P-p-powder