Rev Matthew Words by Douglas Heyes Jr. Rev Matthew The Gospel According to Reverend Matthew Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Escape down to the Amazon Left disciples all behind Really blew collective mind Somewhere down there we split up Overflowing Spirit’s cup I went under the canopy That's where I turned into We Traveled down the Sacred River Flaming arrows for my quiver Poison darts tipped with Curare Villagers could not ignore me Looks I got would really floor me Never seen white man before me Became part of jungle lore Hunters on the forest floor I am rich and I am poor I own nothing anymore Left it all outside the door Gone for good and that's for sure 20 years I spent down here As it all came crystal clear Listen carefully, my dear We have nothing left to fear Hunted the deep jungle trail I took monkeys, parrots, quail Made their deaths a sacrament Grauman's Chinese wet cement Spirit animal the Jaguar Lucky Life under a star Nowhere you could get by car I became a superstar Then the white man came on down Started building cities, towns Burned the forest tree by tree Back in 1833 I was everything I see I rowed a raft far out to sea Nothing could ever touch me I was barely 23 Like a man but still a child Flying blind and running wild Searching for Infinity Learned Life's For Eternity God then touch me on my back Took the stones from my knapsack Put my ship back on its course Burned my raft and bought a horse Set ourselves a Northbound course Chose between Power and Force Celestial mathematics Crazy acrobatics I found toys up in the attic Behavior sometimes erratic Cocaine-tipped kitchen matches Morphine suckers, opium patches 5 more lifetimes came and went This is not an accident Gold Rush Creek, 1-8-4-9 Then struck oil, Saint Valentine! Traveled with a dude named Cisco Moved on out to San Francisco Tried to put down solid roots My woman only spoke Yokuts I became a gunfighter My noose rope was getting tighter Price on my head gettin’ higher Good tobacco, Zippo lighter Down to the Southern Sierra Kings, Kaweah and the Kern Many dollars came and went Oh, how the worm did turn! Bunch of outlaws jumped my claim Looking for to make a name Polish up their tarnished fame Brothers Frank and Jesse James Took a bullet in my chest In the dust, I laid to rest Barbary Coast all undressed Dying truly is the best That is where she came to me Out by the Pacific sea Settled down and had some kids She died of cancer, them of SIDS One night at the Opera I came down with cholera One more lifetime came and went For my sins, I paid my rent Nomad living in a tent Preacher said, “You must repent!” Hangman got me one more time I was down to my last dime Came back to the oil field Just outside of Bakersfield Hit a gusher just like that Sister, I was getting fat Somewhere out there in the mud Gotta know There Will Be Blood Son of Lewis, Daniel Day Man, I had some bills to pay Then the money went away Chinese girls came out to play Found a wholly new position Lost it all on proposition Paid the wages for my sin Barrel racer reined him in Three more races, went all-in Back around the wheel again Born Again, 1919 Married to a beauty queen She was only 17 Cheated on me, quite a scene Burned our house with kerosene She was still asleep inside Farmed the kids to families South Stuck a shotgun in my mouth Peter said, “Don't come inside” You'll be taking one more ride I remember how I cried That time it was suicide Ran the circuit one more time Drank tequila mixed with lime Salty rim around my glass Man I thought I had such class Shadow in the looking-glass Thank you, I will take a pass Never made it back to class This life fucked me in the ass Through Saint James Infirmary Wonder what's become of me Ground my bones to make a sweater Muscles hard and skin like leather Made it up into crack town Venice Beach after sundown Skating down that concrete strand Hyperdrive in Spirit’s hand I became a boardwalk preacher Healing arts and Kung Fu teacher Rich as Croesus, busted flat How could I have lived like that? Cops were calling me a monster Kambo healings, Warrior Never mattered, rich or poor Knock knock knock on Heaven's door Worked the streets way down in there Evaporate into thin air Found my woman, quite a pair I acquired her underwear Became a monk, renunciate Pair of Queens, I'm standing pat Dealer hits a 21 Lost my fortunes just like that Quit the tables just in time Jesus is a friend of mine Silent shadow, pits of lime Sing the choruses divine Brown-eyed girl with coal-black hair Sparkling moonlight in the air Dancing out there on the beach Tried to practice what I preach Spirit said I had it wrong Broken hearts and shattered song In the morning she was gone Guess it's time to move along Still broke down along the way On that noise, I will not say I did, however, learn to pray I'm still doing that today Ministry stayed in the street Winter nights and cold concrete Often not enough to eat That's why I am so damn skinny Went from extra large to mini They called me a Soul collector I became a fight instructor Threw my punches from the feet Never had a hard defeat Took God's Word out on the road Psychedelic overload Ayahuasca, Mister Toad Shucking off this concrete load Woke up in 1975 Still a wonder I'm alive 3 defenses in the street Broken bodies at my feet No cops, ambulance or ER's Left those fuckers seeing stars With respect, just like a friend Brother, your night's at an end Listen to the word I send Always got your back I'll never be your friend Mouth cashes checks you'll never spend Atlantic Ocean I did cross Much was gained but all was lost When Jesus died upon the cross And was reborn at such a cost Tattooed on my heart, embossed Round my neck an Albatross Another sailor lost at sea Searching for infinity 500 years come and gone Choir angels sing along Before the Bible's first verse A Sow's ear or silken purse No elevation Bad situation No conversation Unholy nation I wrote the first Gospel too Dominus, 522 Strangely, that's my birthday too My heart deep inside of you High upon Mount Calvary Iron nails and hardwood tree Crucifixion One times three Tore my soul right out of me 1500 years go by In the blinking of an eye Memory still make me cry How I watch the good Lord die Three days later all alone Forsaken, rolling back the stone Centuries go flying by Still I cannot answer why Lamb's blood door posts everywhere Roman soldiers in the square Christians get fed to the Lion Civilization surely dying Down below the Colosseum Catacombs a mausoleum D.C. aerospace museum Product of the Age of Reason Don't remember what transpired I'm hired, fired and inspired Hollywood won't set me free Says, “Fall down and worship me” I took a sabbatical Rode a Ninja, radical! Finally found my chemical Interstellar spectacle Heading Southbound on Interstate 5 6 Speed gearbox 1-6-5 Back to my old neighborhood San Diego looking good Serve the homeless, bearing food Clothes and diapers for the kids Through the Vault of Erowid Mushrooms and four-finger lids Kept my instrument in tune May-September, early June Summertime at Ocean Beach Sports Arena, 6 ft reach Across the ring a grizzly bear Tattoos, scars and jet black hair Broke him down and took his belt Threw my chips across the felt This time was a miracle Playing like the Oracle Delphi written in the sky Made a fortune, that's no lie Caesar's Palace Bellagio True Legends of MMA Champions are falling down Blood and Sand all over town Vegas is a cruel place Wipe that smile clean off your face Octagon with ringside seats I scored 17 repeats Then the cops came after me IRS up in my tree After one night's Victory FBI came after me Took me out to Lompoc fed Fuckers laid me out for dead One night as I lay in bed I heard what the good Lord said Get your ass out of this alley You got a job in central Cali Hopped the Ninja, cranked it up Got painted by a pickup truck Gotta tell you that one sucked Brother, I'm completely fucked I blew off another cop Threw a piston out the top My face on a wanted poster Life became a roller coaster Cyclone Racer in Long Beach Suicide within my reach Long ride North on Highway 5 Kiss the girls, they come alive Dab and hash and OG Kush Tina was beneath a bush Service doggy, called him Brutus This lifestyle will never suit us 110 pound Pitbull-Mastiff Drove my heart right off a cliff Put them both on my bitch seat Gave them both something to eat Their company a royal treat I'll never admit defeat Two days later we were lovers Tangled up under the covers Shithole town called Avenal Read the writing on the wall There began a brutal spiral Videos are going viral Live from downtown meth Motel Dance with Grendel down the well Partners now forever Endlessly together Silk and satin, lace and leather Feeling change in the weather So began our ministry Just off Highway 33 Ninja crashed into a tree Just west of Yosemite Heading to the nature parks Passion play and flying sparks Kindest dispositions Kamasutra positions That's when Groundhog Day began So far from the Promised Land Praising in the parking lot Bible verses, tears and snot Giving thanks for what we had Started feeling really bad Kept going anyway Saving Souls all night and day Late one night I got a call Stephen Foster, Darktown Ball Balboa Park, oil can fires Could not put out my desires Drowning now and sex and money Baby, Sweetheart, Love and Honey Screenwriter for Stephen Cannell Started up a 12-step panel Went out on a rescue run High mountains under the sun Spent 20 years running wrecks Up from nadir to Apex Wrote my Sermon on the Mount Save more lives than I can count Best of times, without a doubt And I was headed for flameout Houston I am in flat spin Opioids and Boodles gin Couldn't let the light come in Nights spent down at Cattlemen's Playing guitar from the stage Acting about half my age Lots of women, a few men Got clean and sober again Then came Valentine's weekend Skiing down my run again Took a forward launching fall That is when I lost it all Just like I had hit the wall Couldn't move or breathe or feel Not a legend, this is real Monty Hall Let's Make a Deal My dad was the first on scene 7 years fell in between His death hooked up to machines Respirators, monitors, Dragon lizards, Holy Wars I was rotten to the core Selling myself like a who're Minimum wage, really poor Ask my dad what I should do Talk of me but feeling you His words cut my heart in two When he told me what to do l Put his hands upon my head “Breathe,” is what my father said White vapor came puffing out Eliminating any doubt Rick and Scott and Joshua Eddie, Alex and Chuck All were devout Christian men Brilliant Stroke of Luck My brothers put their hands on me They prayed for my salvation Started feeling once again Kirie Eleison Spent a minute clearly dead Loma Linda off to bed I heard what the good Lord said As my life turned from green to red They said I'd never walk again Jesus Christ is still my friend Living somewhere in between Got addicted to morphine Clicker down there in my hand Alexander's Ragtime Band Still I had to make a stand Maybe you can understand Took my first steps 3 days later Made it to the elevator I rode up onto the roof Transformation, Living Proof Sweet Vicky came to see me We'd been friends since 17 Michael was her lover With me behind the scene We stayed friends forever Even through the worst Then our verse became much worse Blessing turned into a curse Michael grew fine cannabis Sold all over town Cancer cure, marijuana He developed melanoma After 30 years together It all came crashing down A year of rage of venom Till we put him in the ground Our families together Teardrops running down My arm around Victoria We cried without a sound There we were in the garden Beside a water feature Prayed to beg our pardon And Spirit was our teacher That is when I took her hand Looked her in the eye Told her of the my miracle In the mountains way up high Angels in Red Jackets White crosses on our backs The way they put their hands on me And brought my spirit back There beneath the Banyan trees Down at Daniel Freeman Jesus reached into my heart And he made me a free man As I looked into her soul I felt a new sensation Had the strange impression Someone joined the conversation There are 6 angels I can name My boys up on the mountain Michael started speaking through me There beside the fountain What they said is not for you It is theirs alone They got to clear their final year And spirit brought them home Later on woke up again Coming round the bend She and I then kissed goodbye My immortal friend Late that night I went to bed Michael came to me Not a ghost, Sweet Lord of hosts With a message for Vicki Said he wanted her to read The letter that she read The day they said he's terminal Silver box under the bed She lost composure on the phone In her bedroom, all alone Still recall the way she wept Heart open and secrets kept Heard her grief cry tearing out Please hear what she said Five years since I read that note In the box under the bed Post what happened in the garden I went home and read it Again and again Written at the bitter end We hung up a bit later Never said goodbye Holding my hands to the light Eyes completely dry I need to remember Why you chose me for this task “Because I love you so much” Really glad I asked 9 months later back on skis Cutting fresh tracks through the trees Out of business, my disease Blow away the Winter freeze Ashes out to Four Winds Pins and needles through my skin Empathy and crazy grin Spirit comes, I let her in There beneath the Banyan tree Falling down on bended knee Threw my hands up in the air Sunshine beaming through my hair Then I said to God, “Why me?” Not said in a victim way Celebration, brand new day She has come to set me free Answer came so very clear Spirit whispered in my ear Gentle hands and loving touch I love you so very much So began my healing journey Never called back my attorney Back-to-school, beginner's mind I left all my shit behind Grinning like a wild banana Wheelchair dance, Carlos Santana Supernatural at the door Head up to the second floor Pat rides on a rascal scooter Baptist, denies the intruder Blues guitar by old Ry Cooder Rising Appalachia shooter “I need a witness,” I say to Pat She moves slowly, hippo fat Fell in love with me that day Still in love with her today In the hospital's bright gloom We head up to Macy's room Macy Bowdoin, 85 Black as night and still alive Christian woman, Minister Still consider her my sister Hooked up to some drugs by Pfizer Never tried to analyze her East LA, 1-9-4-3 Grateful she came to me Lying in her bed Looking halfway dead Eyes were closed as if asleep On her nose were lenses deep She got their six weeks before I came knocking on her door They treated her like an appliance Rule breaker with cool defiance Regulations, no compliance We developed an alliance Choir Angel alto-tenor Her life then in late November Beautiful as I remember Gentle eyes and heart so tender Pat and I rolled in the room Feeling of impending doom Nurses say she's on her way To God's waiting room today She looks up and smiles at us Ash to ash and dust to dust Magic Bus, sacred trust River through the three of us Day before she told her story Sad one still, despite her gloryt Told it to me anyway Worked for 50 cents a day Just a humble castle keeper Hemi engine still a sleeper Flying below the radar Never even drove a car No family would come by there Seems like they just didn't care Choir sisters stayed away Listen to the music play Macie couldn't move or walk But that woman sure could talk Tears come streaming down her cheek Let the Angel voices speak Healing vibration Ecstatic sensation High elevation New situation We rolled up beside her bed This is what the Reverend said “I've been in the garden again” Stigmata like Jesus bled God told me to understand You can heal them with your hands Shifting like Sahara Sands All across the holy lands We came up on either side Made a journey deep inside Still remember how we cried When our sacred Master died In His house we still abide Hearts still bleeding, circuits fried God forgive us how we lied Sacramental, unified We went in for half an hour Currents of magnetic power Crumbling the ivory tower Meditating in the shower I just spoke up like the men Who all showed me the Lord again Introduced me to her friend Harmony comes around again Spirit coming down the hall Music playing through the wall Healing work a straight-up ball A billion miles from Avenal Chakra colors, feel them all Hieroglyphics on the wall When God rings, please take the call Baby, we can have it all All around the bed we prayed I'm so grateful that we stayed Feeling like we just got laid Lottery we just got paid Orbs or flying through the place Sunrise up without a trace Institution, plaster walls Spirit Light receives our calls Pretty soon the lights come on I come back from fully gone Just like someone flipped a switch Humming like a son of a bitch To my girls I bid goodnight Went to bed, turned out the light Barely made it through the night Wings out like an owl in flight Shifting now to present tense Give up all pretense, defense Regain balance on the fence Welcome, baby, to the dance Dancing naked on the beach Always practice what you teach If you're hungry, stretch and reach Allman Brothers, Eat A Peach Listen to the slide guitar Pedal steel will take you far Bonneville Flats supercar Flying out to your home star Pat and I met down the hall Morning workout: basketball In the saddle, sitting tall Sharpie in the bathroom stall An hour of physical therapy Listen to the symphony This is what just set us free There beneath the Banyan tree So began my worldwide fame Love the player, hate the game Om Na Ma Shivaya, Namaste Sat Nam is the sacred name We round up beside the wall What’d you see? What do you know? hat happened last night Really quite a show Then we heard a wee small voice Echo down the way “There he is!” we heard her say Power of Christ done come through you And I can walk again today These words changex my life Cut through me like a knife Even more compelling They truly saved my life Macie walked on down the hall Smile upon her face Beside her was her therapist l In rapt Amazing Grace She stared at me in wonder Unsupported, uncontorted Can you feel the thunder Coming from down under? Let no man put asunder What God hath joined together Life is forever, nothing but a treasure A world of pain and pleasure On the day that I went home Macie did the same Cadillac Eldorado On top of her game Driven by her nephew Family back around God had rescued her sweet Soul From the lost and found That's the last I saw of her She waved a sweet goodbye Grinning now from ear-to-ear Teardrop in her eye We stayed in touch a long time Till she went away Pat and I remained in touch Until her dying day I can't believe what happened Had to find out why Streaking off like Pegasus Apollo in the sky I went back to college I had to know why I picked up a Master's In the blinking of an eye Graduate with honors Beside my only son Adam is a genius Don't know anyone Who's had such a privilege It truly takes a village Double-major; biopsych And philosophy Quantum physics, higher math Spiritual psychology Open up our practice Energy and Sound Healing countless others Hundreds come around Wrote a book I called The Touch Miracles and Methods Put it out on hallowed ground Really got around Everyone got better I started to run Marathons, triathlons Fire the starting gun Bay to Breakers, Bay to Bay MS 150 a Adventure racing, still embracing My new ecstasy l Conquer the bear and Whitney Up the mountainside John Muir Trail a challenge Paddling class 5 Finished on the podium A few times, maybe more That is when the media Came knocking at my door They made a legend of me For all the world to see Medals, trophies, ribbons For every victory Brass bands, grandstands Ray-Bans, suntans Running, riding in the street Ocean swims at Venice Beach That's my story for now We'll put a ribbon anyhow Matthew, Mark, Luke and John Guard this ground I stand upon Jesus Is My Savior Buddha is my friend We'll all be together When we reach the end Masters, Saints and AAngels Relatives and strangers Hear the messages they tell As we walk through hell Devil takes a back seat On this with long, wild ride Bring us all back home When we reach the other side Thanks for your attention To my story and my heart Bonfire Of The Vanities Se make a brand new start Planetary Confluence Cosmogenesis A time of transformation Transmute playing to bliss I myself am grateful I'm alive today Basket full of blessings As we make our way Let me say a Namaste Never questioned why Om Na Ma Shivaya Till it's time to say ~~~ ~ Goodbye ~