I CAN’T BREAK YOUR SPELL


Lines used in this song by Poetry Slam contestants are numbered!


NEVER THOUGHT I’D LOSE YOU 
4 WISH I WAS THE RUBBER TO YOUR GLUE 
6 MY MIND IS FULL BUT MY HEART IS EMPTY 
AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO 
1 SOMEHOW THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE SILENCE 
11 ALL THE QUESTIONS I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO ASK 
12 BECAUSE TIME RAN FASTER THAN ME 
I WAS LEFT OUT ALONE IN THE PAST 

LIKE ALICE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE 
LIKE A PEBBLE TUMBLING DOWN THE WELL 
8 TEARS ARE FALLIN’, FALLIN’, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN 
I CAN’T BREAK YOUR SPELL, NO I CAN’T BREAK YOUR SPELL
 

15 LIKE A SOLDIER WHO FINDS NO PEACE 
I’M LOST AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO 
14 THE MIRROR I LOOK AT 
IS THE WINDOW THAT I LOOK THROUGH 
2 EVERYTIME I SEE YOU 
2 FEELS LIKE I’M LOSING YOU AGAIN 
13 I LOOK BACK AND ASK WHAT HAPPENED 
5 HEARTBROKEN THE CYCLE BEGINS 

CHORUS 

9 I CAN’T ALWAYS GET THE RIGHT WORDS OUT 
10 SO I PUT MY HANDS TO MY FACE AND WEEP 
7 I THINK TO MYSELF THIS CAN’T LAST FOREVER 
BUT THIS PAIN KEEPS HAUNTING ME 

BRIDGE 
3 SO I LIE TO THE WORLD AND PUT ON MY DISGUISE 
HOPING TO HIDE ALL THE PAIN THAT’S INSIDE 
4 I’LL SMILE AND TELL YOU IT DOESN’T HURT ME 
4 I’LL SMILE AND TELL YOU I’M OK 

CHORUS

This song was composed from the poetry written by fifteen of our public high school students competing in our “Poetry Slam” contest. I was asked to video tape their performances and make a copy for each participant. Wanting to go the extra mile, I asked Julie to take a line from each writer and make a song out of their combined thoughts. The students loved the final result, but my work also revealed the difference that Christ can make in an individual’s life. The majority of these students’ thoughts dwelt on their quest to find someone who would love them, for all time. Their search led to heartbreak and hopelessness, for no human can love unconditionally except Jesus. No, we cannot break the world’s spell, which eventually leads to destruction, for only Jesus has the power to overcome the world Jn 16:33.

The Good News is that we, too, can overcome the world, 1 Jn 5:4,5, by putting our faith and dependency in Jesus Jn 15:5, and allowing Him to direct our lives Gal 2:20.