SHITTY SHEPHERDS

Sister Escalera says the most hurtful part of the proposed sale of her convent is that the proceeds will be used to pay for the misdeeds of pedophile priests.

SHITTY SHEPHERDS

SHITTY SHEPHERDS
SHEPHERDING
CLEAN SHEEP

SO SAYS THE NOBLE POET
CHAUCER

HOW APT AN IMAGE

A ROLE PLAYED WELL
BY PRIESTS
MINISTERS
RABBIS
POLITICIANS
RULERS

ALL CLOTHED
IN SUNDAY FINERY
WITH THE BEST MANNERS

UNWORTHY SHEPHERDS
OF INNOCENT FLOCKS

TO QUESTION THEM
IS TO QUESTION
THEIR GOD LIKE STANCE
UNHOLY TO DO SO

BUT LATELY
THE SMELL OF THE SHEPHERDS
HAS BECOME TOO GREAT

THEY’VE MADE FRIENDS
WITH THE WOLVES
AND NO LONGER CARE FOR THE SHEEP

AND THE SHEEP
NO LONGER
LISTEN TO THE SHEPHERDS
AND THEIR CALL
TO FOLLOW

FRANK A VOLLMER

When God Paints

When God Paints: "When God Paints... We live in an awesome world people. Make it an awesome day. Peace To All and May God Bless You -Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply, Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. "

RIGOBERTA MENCHUI

We feel it is the duty of Christians to create the kingdom of God on Earth among our brothers. This kingdom will exist only when we all have enough to eat, when our children, brothers, parents don’t have to die from hunger and malnutrition. That will be the "Glory," a Kingdom for we who have never known it.- Rigoberta MenchuI, Rigoberta: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

Rigoberta Menchu

But our reality teaches us that, as Christians, we must create a Church of the poor, that we don’t need a Church imposed from outside which knows nothing of hunger.
- Rigoberta Menchu
I, Rigoberta: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

Frederick Douglass

Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has and it never will.
- Frederick Douglass

RAMBLINGS ON IMMIGRATION

RAMBLINGS ON IMMIGRATION


FIRST LET ME SAY I AM NO EXPERT ON IMMIGRATION
BUT I HAVE SOME OPINIONS
WHICH CERTAINLY ARE OPEN TO CRITIQUING

MY CREDENTIALS AS SUCH
ARE
MY MOTHER WAS AN IMMIGRANT
WHO AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR
FOUND NO FUTURE OR JOB
IN NEWFOUNDLAND
EVEN THOUGH HER FATHER WAS A SEA CAPTAIN

SO SHE CAME TO AMERICA
STAYING WITH AUNT POLLY
THE ENGLISH ARE VERY PROPER

MY FATHER’S PEOPLE
WERE GERMAN
WHO CAME OVER
BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR
AND BECAME RICH FARMERS
I’VE SEEN THEIR ELABORATE TOMBS
AND DONATED STAINED GLASS WINDOWS
IN TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
IN PHILADELPHIA

UNFORTUNATELY
MY GRANDFATHER
WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR
AND WAS CUT OFF FROM THE FAMILY FORTUNE

OUR BRANCH OF THE FAMILY CONTINUES TO BE SLIGHTLY WEIRD

BEING AN ACTOR WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SUITABLE VOCATION
FOR A DISTINGUISHED LUTHERAN FAMILY

THE EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS WERE A VOLATILE TIME IN GERMANY
AND MANY FLED THE COUNTRY
FOR RELIGIOUS AND ECONOMIC REASONS

THEY WEREN’T HAPPY
WITH THE THINGS WERE
IN THE OLD LAND

AMERICA
AND ESPECIALLY PENNSYLVANIA
LOOMED ON THEIR HORIZON
LIKE A LIGHTHOUSE FLASHING

SO I LIKE OTHER NON-NATIVE AMERICANS
AM AN IMMIGRANT’S CHILD

MY PEOPLE CAME OVER FOR THE SAME REASONS
THAT TODAY’S IMMIGRANTS
(BOTH LEGAL AND ILLEGAL) DO

NOW I AGREE THAT NEWCOMERS
SHOULD NOT LIVE OFF THE DOLE
OR ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

I REMEMBER
THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS
AS TO WHETHER A HUNGRY MAN
CAN STEAL A LOAF OF BREAD

IS A MAN NOT VALUED MORE THAN A LOAF

HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED
WE NEED TO REMEMBER TWO DICTUMS

REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE ALIENS IN EGYPT

AND

WHATSOEVER YOU DO TO THE LEAST OF MY BROTHERS
THAT YOU DO UNTO ME

THE CRY AGAINST AMNESTY
IS
A CRY FOR JUSTICE AND NOT FOR LOVE

THEY’RE HERE
DEAL WITH IT

THERE’S NOT ENOUGH BOATS OR TRUCKS
FOR DEPORTATION
NOT TO MENTION
THE PAIN OF FAMILY SEPARATION

THEY’RE
DOING THE JOBS NOBODY WANTS
MORE TROUBLE IS INDUSTRY
MOVING JOBS
OUT OF THE COUNTRY
AND NOT PAYING A LIVING WAGE

WHEN ALL THE JOBS ARE GONE
WHO WILL BUY THE PRODUCT

IF MY THOUGHTS GO AGAINST LOGIC
SO BE IT
I’D RATHER LEAD WITH MY HEART
THAN MY HEAD
WHEN LEADING WITH MY HEAD SEEMS UNCHRISTIAN

FRANK A VOLLMER

FATHER'S DAY

A GIFT FOR A KING

Today I received a gift of a quilt made by my co-editor Nancy Stevens. It is beautiful. It has a special meaning to me, when you receive chemo they give you a quilt to stay warm. It's soothing and comforting and helps you through the rough spots. Now I have my own.

BEING LIBERAL

“Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What didConservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things – every one. So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, ‘Liberal,’ as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won’t work, Senator, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor." -- Matt Santos, The West Wing

LAST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY


IMAGINE IF YOU WILL
THAT YOU ARE JESUS
STANDING ON TOP OF A HIGH MOUNTAIN
ON THE NORTH SIDE
OF THE SEA OF GALILEE..
YOU ARE LOOKING DOWN
AT THE SEA OF GALILEE.
THE MOUNTAIN IS IN GALILEE.

LOOKING SOUTH
YOU SEE THE KINGDOM OF JUDEA
AND THE CAPITAL
JERUSALEM.

LOOKING EAST YOU SEE PEREA.
LOOKING WEST YOU SEE SAMARIA.
AND YOU ARE SAD
BECAUSE THERE IS MUCH HATRED
IN THE LAND.

THE PROMISED LAND
HAS BEEN CONQUERED BY ROME
AND DIVIDED INTO THE FOUR PARTS
OF GALILEE, JUDEA, SAMARIA AND PEREA.

THE JEWS HATE THE ROMANS
WHO ARE EVERYWHERE
ACTING AS POLICEMEN.

THE JEWS HATE THE SAMARITANS
AND THE PEREANS
BECAUSE THEY WORSHIP GOD
IN A NON JEWISH MANNER.




WE HAVE IN THIS SEASON OF EPIPHANY
FOLLOWED JESUS
AS HE BEGINS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.
JESUS LOOKS DOWN AT THE LAKE
AND AS HE DOES
HE LOOKS BACK IN TIME
AND REMEMBERS THE EVENTS
THAT WE REMEMBERED
AS THE SUNDAYS OF EPIPHANY
CAME AND WENT

THE READINGS FOR THE YEAR 2001
EPIPHANY SEASON
COME MOSTLY FROM LUKE.
THE SEQUENCE OF READINGS THIS YEAR
HAVE VISITED THESE SCENES
FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS.

FIRST WE VISITED EPIPHANY,
THE VISIT OF THE THREE WISE MEN.
THEN THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
WHERE GOD THE FATHER
DECLARED THAT JESUS WAS HIS SON.
THEN THE WEDDING AT CANA
WHERE HE CHANGED WATER INTO WINE.
THEN HIS FIRST SERMON AT NAZARETH
AND HIS REJECTION BY HIS NEIGHBORS.
THEN WE HAD THE MIRACLE OF THE FISHES
WHERE THE APOSTLES CAUGHT SO MANY
THE BOAT BEGAN TO SINK.
AND LAST WEEK
JESUS CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN
AND PREACHED THE SERMON ON THE PLAIN
ALSO CALLED THE BEATITUDES.






LAST WEEK JESUS LOOKED DOWN
AT THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
AND WAS SADDENED.
THIS WAS NOT HIS FATHER’S DREAM
FOR THIS LAND
THIS PROMISED LAND
AND ITS PEOPLE.

RELIGION HAD BECOME
AN OBSERVANCE OF LAWS AND RITUALS.
THE PRIESTS ARGUED
OVER SUCH THINGS AS
CAN A MAN WITH A WOODEN LEG
WALK ON THE SABBATH
BECAUSE THE WOODEN LEG
WAS A BURDEN
AND ONE COULD NOT
CARRY A BURDEN
ON THE SABBATH
BECAUSE CARRYING A BURDEN
WAS WORK.

THE PERFORMANCE OF RITUAL
IN THE TEMPLE WAS SUCH
THAT
ON ANY PASSOVER
OVER 250,000 LAMBS WERE SOLD
AND SLAIN IN ONE DAY
MAKING GOD’S HOUSE
MORE A SLAUGHTER FACTORY
THAN A HOUSE OF GOD.

THIS IS WHAT HIS FATHER’S RELIGION
HAD BECOME
AND HE IS SADDENED.
SO LAST WEEK
HE SLOWLY COMEDOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND PREACHED THE BEATITUDES.


LUKE HAS A SENTENCE
AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE BEATITUDES
THAT SAYS
THERE WERE PEOPLE
FROM SIDON AND TYRE
IN THE CROWD.
HE DID THIS DELIBERATELY
BECAUSE THE JEWS ALSO HATED
THOSE FROM SIDON AND TYRE

SO JESUS LOOKED AT THE CROWD
THAT HAD SO MUCH HATE
AND PREACHED A SERMON ON FORGIVENESS.
A SERMON, WHICH SAYS
IF ANYONE HITS YOU,
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
EASY TO SAY DIFFICULT TO DO.

JESUS SAYS
FORGIVE YOUR ENEMIES,
DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HURT YOU.
WHEN EVERY PART OF YOUR BEING
SAYS MAKE A FIST
AND HURT YOUR ENEMY
JESUS SAYS LOVE THEM.
JESUS HAS GOT TO BE KIDDING HERE
RIGHT

BUT ULTIMATELY
JESUS IS RIGHT.
FOR WITHOUT FORGIVENESS
NATIONS WILL FIGHT
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY THEY ARE FIGHTING,






NEIGHBORS WILL FIGHT
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY THEY ARE FIGHTING,

FAMILIES WILL FIGHT
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY THEY ARE FIGHTING

HUSBAND AND WIVES
WILL FIGHT
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY THEY ARE FIGHTING,

BROTHERS AND SISTERS
YOUNG OR GROWN OLD
TILL NEAR DEATH
WILL FIGHT
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY THEY ARE FIGHTING.

WHEN WILL IT END.
AS THE SONG SAYS
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO
RIGHT NOW
AS A REACTION TO JESUS' SERMON
IS WRITE DOWN WITH YOUR FINGER
ON THE PALM OF YOUR HAND
THE NAME OF THAT PERSON
YOU FIND IT HARD TO FORGIVE.

THEN RUB YOUR HANDS TOGETHER
AND ERASE THEIR NAME.
THINKING AS YOU DO IT
THEY ARE FORGIVEN.
TRY IT



LET GO THOSE CHUNKS OF ICE
WHICH WE ALL CARRY
THOSE CHUNKS OF ICE OF HATRED
WHICH WE ALL CARRY
LONG PAST REMEMBERING
WHY WE ARE CARRYING THEM

HARD YOU SAY.
TOO HARD.
AND I AGREE.
BUT IT IS JESUS
NOT ME
WHOM IS SPEAKING
WHEN HE SAYS
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES,
DO GOOD TO THEM,
LEND ACCORDING TO THEIR NEED
EXPECTING NOTHING BACK.
BE MERCIFUL
AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS MERCIFUL.
STILL TOO HARD.

LET ME PAINT YOU A PICTURE.
THERE IS A MAN WHO IS DYING.
CONDEMNED TO DEATH
FOR A CRIME
HE DIDN’T COMMIT.

CONDEMNED TO DEATH
OUT OF JEALOUSY
AND FEAR OF LOSING POWER.

ALL HIS FRIENDS
HAVE DESERTED HIM
OUT OF FEAR.






ONE OF HIS FRIENDS
HAS SOLD HIM FOR A PRICE.
ONE OF HIS FRIENDS DENIED
HE EVER KNEW HIM.

HIS HEART
WHICH IS STRUGGLING
TO STAY ALIVE
IS STILL FILLED WITH LOVE
FOR ALL MANKIND.

AND HE IS GIVING THINGS AWAY.
HE WILL DIE POOR.

HIS CLOTHES ARE GONE.
HE HAS GIVEN HIS MOTHER
TO THE CARE OF HIS FRIEND JOHN.

NOW HE GIVES AWAY HIS ANGER.
STRUGGLING UPRIGHT ON THE NAILS
HE CRIES OUT
FATHER FORGIVE THEM
THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.

FORGIVE THE RULERS
OF TEMPLE AND STATE,
FORGIVE THE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE CRUEL TO ME,
FORGIVE THE CROWD
GATHERED LIKE VULTURES
TO SEE ME DIE,
FORGIVE THE THIEF WHO CURSED ME
FORGIVE ALL
WHO HAVE DESERTED ME,
LIED ABOUT ME,
SOLD ME FOR A PRICE






JESUS
LOOKING DOWN FROM HIS HIGH PLACE
ON THE CROSS
LOOKING DOWN THE YEARS
FORGIVING ALL WHO HAD EVER LIVED,
WHO WERE LIVING THEN
WHO WOULD LIVE IN THE FUTURE.

LOOKING DOWN FROM HIS HIGH PLACE
HE COMES TO THIS ROOM
AND CRIES OUT
FATHER FORGIVE FRANK
AND BARBARA,
JOE AND TOM,
ALICE AND JAN,
FATHER FORGIVE ALL
FROM EMANUEL IN WARWICK,
FATHER FORGIVE ALL
FROM FIRST LUTHERAN
IN BROCKTON,
FATHER FORGIVE ALL
FROM ST JOHN’S
IN PEABODY,

AND WE CRY IN RESPONSE
FATHER FORGIVE US
AND FORGIVE THE ONE
WE FIND IT HARD
TO FORGIVE
WE
AND THEY
KNOW NOT WHAT WE DO.



IN THE LIGHT OF OUR FORGIVENESS
CAN WE NOT TAKE
THE NAME OF THAT ONE PERSON
WE FIND IT HARD TO FORGIVE.
WRITE IT ON THE PALM OF OUR HAND.
RUB OUR HANDS TOGETHER
TO MAKE IT DISAPPEAR.

AND SAY TO THAT PERSON
THAT CHUNK OF ICE
THAT I HAVE CARRIED
WITH YOUR NAME ON IT
IS MELTED.
I FORGIVE YOU

AND JESUS SAYS
WELL DONE MY BROTHERS
AND SISTERS
WELL DONE

IN YOU
I AM WELL PLEASED.
MAY IT BE SO AMEN



Frank A Vollmer

CEREMONY FOR REMEMBERING

A CEREMONY FOR REMEMBERING









PROLOGUE

LET US SUMMON TO MIND OUR DEAD
BE THEY PARENTS CHILDREN LOVED ONES OR DREAMS
BUT WHEN WE ARE DONE
LET US GENTLY CLOSE THE DOOR
AND LET THEM SLEEP




EMMAUS

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS EYES
LIKE A SOLDIER OFF TO WAR
SAYING GOODBYE TO LOVED ONES
OR A SAILOR FOR A LONG LONG TRIP

WE'D WALKED THAT ROAD MANY TIMES
MY FRIEND AND I
IT HAD BECOME A BIT OF A TASK
WITH NOTHING NEW
TO BE DONE WITH SWIFTLY
AND DONE WITH
WITH PLEASURE AT EITHER END
BUT NOTHING IN THE JOURNEY

UNTIL THE STRANGER CAME TO WALK WITH US
THIS STRANGER
WITH RELUCTANT EYES
HE'D SIGHT A TREE AND CALL IT OUT BY NAME
A FLOWER
BIRD
OR SOME CREEPING THING
THE WAY THE SUN TOOK A CLOUD
AND LIT IT UP WITHIN
OR CAST LONG SHADOWS
LIKE THE SHADOWS
THAT SAT UPON OUR HEARTS
THAT DAY

WHY ARE YOU SO SAD
HE ASKED
AFTER A WHILE

WE'D LET HIM TALK FIRST
OUT OF COURTESY
HE SEEMED TO NEED TO TALK
WHY ARE YOU SO SAD

AND SO TO THIS MAN
WHO SEEMED SO EAGER FOR LIVING THINGS
WE TOLD HIM OF A DEATH
OF OUR FRIEND JESUS
WHO HAD DIED
AND TO USE HIS IMAGERY
PLUCKED LIKE A FLOWER
THAT WAS THROWN AWAY
PICKED WITHOUT PURPOSE

OF A MAN
WHO WHEN HE SPOKE
BOTH TESTED US AND JOYED US

OF THIS JOURNEY
THAT WE TOOK
WHICH WAS DOUBLY LONG
FOR WE CARRIED SADNESS TO EMMAUS
THERE WOULD BE NO PLEASURE THERE

THE BODY WAS GONE
OH THE WOMEN HYSTERICAL
HAD SAID HE WAS RISEN
BUT THE BODY WAS GONE

WHY SHOULD HE DIE
WE BELIEVED HIM CHOSEN OF GOD
WHY SHOULD HE DIE

PERHAPS BECAUSE WE WERE TOO NUMB TO SPEAK
HE TOOK OVER THE CONVERSATION
WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO LOVE YOUR FATHER HE SAID

WHEN I BECAME THE AGE HE WAS
WHEN I DISLIKED HIM
IT SOMEHOW MADE HIM DIFFERENT THEN
AND UNDERSTANDABLE

SO JESUS CAME HE SAID
TO BE THAT PARENT
TO BE THE ONE WHO WENT BEFORE
TO BE THE ONE WHO LIVED AND DIED
AND TO BE TRULY RISEN
AS THE WOMEN SAID
TO BE THE PARENT
WHO HAD GONE BEFORE
SO YOU COULD LEARN
TO LOVE HIM AS YOU GREW
AND THROUGH HIM
THE FATHER TOO

PERHAPS IT WAS THE CADENCE OF HIS VOICE
OR THE WORDS OR THE MAN HIMSELF
BUT WE FELT CALM
WE INVITED HIM TO SUP WITH US
IN OUR GARDEN IN THE EVENING COOL
FOR THE DAY HAD RUN AWAY

AND WE KNEW HIM IN THE BREAKING BREAD
AND THE WINE
THAT TOOK THE JOURNEY'S DUST AWAY





THE SHAWL


THE SHAWL IS FINISHED
I HAVE WOVEN THE WOOL WITH TEARS
I HAVE HURT MY FINGERS
AND SUCKED SORROW

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING NOW

IT WAS FITTING HE SHOULD DIE IN FALL
OR EARLY WINTER REALLY
WHEN GRAYNESS COMES UPON THE LAND

WOULD I CALL HIM BACK
TO RE-SUFFER ALL HIS PAINS
TO ELIMINATE MY OWN

DID I NOT LOVE HIM TO THE POINT I COULD LET HIM GO
IF GOING WERE THE BETTER CHOICE

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING

THE SHAWL IS FINISHED

I SHALL FIND OTHER THINGS TO DO














BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD THE WATCHMAN CRIED
IN THE CITY WHERE HE WAS RIDING
ON A CART PILED HIGH WITH LAST YEARS DREAMS
AND LONG REMEMBERED ANGERS
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
THIS CITY THAT WAS ONCE SO FAIR
WHOSE WALLS WERE WHITE AND RIVERS CLEAR
WHERE MEN WALKED OUT ALONE AND UNAFRAID
HAS BECOME A STINK HOUSE OF REMEMBERED PAIN
AND PENT UP SORROW
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
LET WINDOWS ONCE MORE OPEN TO THE BREEZE
AND PIPERS PLAY NO MORE THE FUNERAL MARCH BUT GAY
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
THAT MEN MAY SAY ON PASSING BY
A FAIR CITY THERE PLEASING TO THE EYE
AND HEAR
THE LAUGHTER RINGING IN THE AIR
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD




STARS


HE LIKED TO WATCH THE STARS
THEIR SENSE OF ORDER AND HIS FILIAL PRIDE
BOTH GAVE HIM WARMTH
HE LIKED THE LEGENDS THAT MEN TOLD
ABOUT THESE LANTERNS IN THE SKY
HE LIKED THE WAY THEY LED A SHIP
OR CARAVAN TO FIND A HOME
HE SOMETIMES THOUGHT HE HEARD THE SOUND OF SILVER BELLS
WHEN THE WIND WAS IN THE TREES
AND NIGHT CLOUDS CAME SCUDDING ACROSS THE MOON


WHEN WILD DOGS BARKED
AND SHEEP BELLS RANG CLEARLY IN THE DARK
HE THOUGHT HE HEARD THE STARS SING

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY HIS FATHER
MADE THE SKY GO DARK
BEFORE HE DIED




THE OLD HOUSE

WE FOUND IT DEEP IN THE WOODS
FAR FROM THE PATH
THE RUINS OF THE HOUSE
AND THE OLD STONE FENCE
YOU COULD TELL THE GARDEN
IN THE DIFFERENCE IN TREES
AND BUSHES GONE WILD
THE MOUNTAINEER'S CABIN
HARD BY A STREAM
YOU COULD MARK OFF HIS FIELDS
BY FOLLOWING HIS FENCE
EACH STONE HAND CARRIED TO BUILD IT
AS HE FOUND THEM
ON A SLOOP SO STEEP
YOU COULD PICTURE THEIR SAYING
IF YOU DON'T HOLD ONTO THE PLOW
YOU'LL FALL OUT OF THE FIELD
YOU WONDER WHEN HE BUILT THE HOUSE AND FENCE AND PLOWED
DID HE THINK IT WOULD COME TO THIS
OR DID HE SEE A LINE OF SONS COMING AFTER
LOVING THE LAND AS HE DID
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER I SUPPOSE
WHAT COUNTS IS
HE HAD A DREAM
AND TRIED TO MAKE IT REAL



ABSALOM DAVID'S SON



HE COULD REMEMBER HIS SWINGING ON TREES
WATCHING HIM NOW
HANGING FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR

HE WISHED HIS FACE WAS LESS CONTORTED
HIS FACE LINES LAUGHTER CAUSED

WHEN THEY TOLD HIM HOW HE DIED
HOW HE SWUNG FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR
THE SOLDIERS SPEARS IMPALING
HE ONLY ASKED
DID HE CALL MY NAME

I WOULD NOT WANT HIM DEAD IN ANGER
THIS CHILD OF MINE
WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN IN HIS YOUTH
WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN AND WOULD CALL
FIND ME IF YOU CAN

WHAT HAPPENED AS HE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD
WHAT HAPPENED AS WE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD
WHEN DID HE CLIMB DOWN UNHEEDED
AND WENT HIS WAY

DID HE TIRE OF HIDE AND SEEK
WHEN I WOULD NOT PLAY
WHERE DID I LOSE MY SON
WHEN DID THE SILENCE GO TO ANGER
AND THE NEED TO HURT

SO MANY CALLS UPON ME
SO MANY PLACES TO BE
OH ABSALOM
ABSALOM
TREE CLIMBER
MY CHILD
STRANGE FRUIT ON THE TREE
STIFF IN DEATH
AS YOU WERE IN LIFE
I KISS YOUR STILL UNFEELING LIPS


WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED
WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED
THAN BE HERE TO WATCH
THE SUN GO DOWN
ON YOUR ANGER
AND YOUR DEATH




METAL FENCE

METAL FENCE WITH GATE DOOR OPEN
STANDING IN A FIELD BEFORE A HOUSE LONG GONE
THE GARDEN OVERGROWN
AND GONE TO SEED IN WINTER
WHAT POSSESSED ME I DO NOT KNOW
TO LEAVE THE ROAD
AND GO AND CLOSE THE GATE
WHOSE GHOSTS DID I WANT TO RESTRAIN
THEIRS OR MINE
WHAT VISIONS OF PARENTHOOD
HOPES
DREAMS
STILL DWELL IN THE GARDEN
STAY CLOSED GATE
I HAVE GHOSTS ENOUGH
OF MY OWN TO KEEP


JOSEPH'S DEATH

IT WAS SUMMER AND THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN
THROUGH THEM HE COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF HOUSEWORK BEING DONE
THE SNATCH OF A SONG THE RUNNING OF WATER
THE SOUND OF A BROOM
IT WAS HOT BUT HE COULDN'T FEEL IT
HIS SHAWL WAS ABOUT HIS SHOULDERS
BUT HIS COLD WASN'T IN THE WEATHER
THE SOUND OF THE BROOM RAN ALL HIS DAYS TOGETHER
SO THAT HE THOUGHT HIMSELF ONCE MORE YOUNG
AND COMING TO CALL FLOWERS FRESHLY PICKED
UPON HIS YOUNG SWEET LOVE
HIS MARY
BUT THEN HIS MEMORY DARKENED
AND HIS BLOOD IN SPITE OF YEARS RAN HOT
ANGER POUNDED IN HIS BRAIN
I AM WITH CHILD
NO A THOUSAND RAVENS CRIED
NO A THOUSAND CROWS REPLIED
PANDEMONIUM OF THUNDER
LIGHTNING FLASH
AND DRIVING RAIN
NO HE CRIED TO NO ONE LISTENING
RACING FROM THE SUMMER STORM
RACING LOSING AND WAS CAUGHT
DRENCHED
THE RAIN RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE MIXING WITH HIS TEARS
NO HE WHISPERED TO THE EARTH
FACE PRESSED DOWN IN SOGGY GRASS
WHY HE SOBBED OH GOD WHY..
BUT NO ANSWER CAME THEN SOMETHING CAME
THE MEMORY OF HER WORDS
REMEMBER I LOVE YOU
HOW QUICK THE STORM
HOW SUDDEN THE SUN'S RETURN
SO THAT THE OLD MAN FELT ONCE MORE ITS HEAT
HE STRUGGLED TO FORM THE WORDS
FROM IN THE HOUSE THE QUESTION
DID YOU CALL
I LOVE YOU
DID YOU CALL
I LOVE YOU
DID YOU CALL
THEN JOSEPH DIED
ON THE DEATH OF A FATHER OF MY FRIEND

I MOURN YOU
THOUGH I NEVER KNEW YOU
I NEVER BOUGHT YOU A BEER
LAUGHED AT YOUR JOKES
OR SHARED YOUR VIEWS
YET I MOURN YOU STILL
FOR YOUR DEATH IS A LOSS TO ONE I LOVE
AND I AM DIMINISHED BY IT
AND SO I MOURN YOU
BUT MORE
FOR YOU SHAPED AND BROUGHT INTO BEING
MY FRIEND
SOMEWHERE IN YOU THEN WAS A GIFT OF BEAUTY
AND THAT MUCH BEAUTY IS NOW GONE
AND I MOURN YOU
NOW YOU SLEEP OUT IN THE RAIN
ALL YOUR ELEMENTS GOING BACK TO GOD
NOW THE SENSE OF LOSS GIVES MY FRIEND PAIN
BUT IN THE SPRING
WHEN CROCUS BUDS PEEK THROUGH THE SNOW
COME BACK
WITH MEMORIES WARM
ALL HARSH THOUGHTS FORGOTTEN
COME BACK WITH MEMORIES OF LAUGHTER
AND MAKE MY HEART-FRIEND
SMILE














THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE

I THINK PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE
WHEN ALL LOVE COMES HOME TO GOD TO REST
WHEN WORDS
WHICH DO NOT TELL THE HEART
ARE OVER
I THINK PERHAPS WE SHALL REVERT TO THE BEGINNING
AND WITH A SIGH BREATHE OUT OUR SOULS TO REST
WHEN SPIRIT OF GOD AND LOVE ARE REUNITED
AND SAFELY DWELL FOREVER IN GOD'S BREAST




FRANK A VOLLMER