The Rider

Joel Telschow (with art by Bob Bell)
Writers Artists Night 2021

I’m a lost soul searchin’, I’m a wandering man
All through the desert with what I had planned.
There’s no truth in darkness, though somehow it seems,
That somebody’s watching, says he’s gonna set me free.

I look over my shoulder and nobody’s there…
But I feel the pressure and I don’t have a prayer.
I went down in the pit to give up my soul
Expecting the devil to come and make me whole

He didn’t say much, though he made himself clear,
“There ain’t no way you’re getting out of here.”
I begged the Father of all lies
To give me what I want and start wasting my time.

I was so thirsty with nothing to drink
He carried those chains and caused me to think.
He said, “You want some water? Then give me your soul
And I’ll make it better than you’ve ever known.”

I let the Father of all lies
Mess with my head and go wasting my time.
There’s no water here.
The Devil knows he’s dead

And he’s drowning me in fear.
I dipped my toe into the lake of fire
To see what it’s like to touch my desires.
But all that was waiting on me
Was a dark empty hole that’ll never set me free.

So I hit the dirt and I asked the Lord to live
“Come and take my soul.”
Cause it wasn’t mine to give.
I said, “Come find me!
Come find me!
 Come find me on my knees.
Come find me! Come find me, begging, God please!”

Give me the strength to walk in this world
To stand my ground and to fight off the horse.
I rode out of that desert with scars that won’t heal
I heard the Devil scream, “You can’t break this deal!”


The last thing I said when I looked in his eyes,
Was “You don’t own nothing.
You’re the Father of lies.”

And the Devil knows he’s dead