RAMBLINGS II
ON A TABLE
NEAR THE ALTAR
DURING AN ORTHODOX FUNERAL
IS A DISH OF KOLYVA
IT IS MADE OF BOILED GRAIN
LIBERALLY LACED WITH HONEY
AND RAISINS
IN THE CENTER IS A LIGHTED CANDLE
IT IS A VISUAL AID
FOR THE MOURNERS
IT TEACHES
THAT AS A SEED MUST DIE FOR NEW LIFE
SO THE SOUL OF THE DEAD
HAS TRANSFORMED
INTO NEW LIFE
IT TEACHES
IN THE SHAPE OF THE BOWL
THAT THIS NEW LIFE IS ETERNAL
IT TEACHES
IN THE SWEETNESS
OF THE HONEY AND RAISINS
THE BLISS OF THE NEW LIFE
IT TEACHES
IN THE LIT CANDLE
THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF BAPTISM
IS NOW A PERPETUAL LIGHT
WHICH CANNOT GO OUT
AT THE END OF THE SERVICE
IT IS SHARED BY THE MOURNERS
IT TEACHES
TASTE AND SEE
HOW GOOD THE LORD IS
IN AFRICA
ESPECIALLY IN SWAHILI LAND
THEY HAVE A THREEFOLD
CONCEPT OF EXISTENCE
THAT GOES LIKE THIS
FIRST
THERE IS NORMAL LIFE
SECOND
THERE IS SASHA
THE LIVING DEAD
THEY LIVE
AS LONG AS PEOPLE
REMEMBER THEM
THIRD
THERE IS ZAMANI
THOSE REMEMBERED AS ANCESTORS
WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL REMEMBRANCE
THE LINE BETWEEN
SASHA AND ZAMANI
IS NOT HARD
A PERSON CAN DRIFT BACK AND FORTH
AS TIME GOES ON
HOW CLOSE IT COMES
TO THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
THAT GREAT BODY
WHICH INCLUDES US
OUR BELOVED
REMEMBERED DEAD
OUR FORGOTTEN DEAD
ALL ONE BODY
THE EARLY CHURCH
PRAYED FOR THE DEAD
THAT GOD MIGHT SHINE ON THEM
GIVE THEM PEACE
WITHOUT GETTING
INTO THE DEBATE
ABOUT PURGATORY
FOR WHICH THERE ARE ARGUMENTS
PRO AND CON
THE EARLY CHURCH
PRAYED FOR THE DEAD
WE WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER
THE CHURCH WAS NOT FOUNDED IN GERMANY
IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
BUT IN PALESTINE
TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO
WITH A PREVIOUS
LONG JEWISH HISTORY
WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD
THAT THEY MIGHT FIND PEACE
WE MARK IT IN THEIR TOMBSTONE
R.I.P.
BUT WHO REMEMBERS
THOSE
UNTIMELY RIPPED
FROM THEIR MOTHER’S WOMBS
THOSE BORN POOR
LIVED POOR
DIED POOR
WITH NEVER A FULL BELLY
THOSE UNWILLING VICTIMS
OF RACIAL PRIDE
NATIONALISTIC PRIDE
ARROGANT BEHAVIOR
AN UNFEELING CHURCH
WHO PRAYS FOR THEM
THE ZAMANI
THE UNKNOWN DEAD
WHO PRAYS FOR THEM
LET US NOW PRAY
FOR ERIC MY SON
HE WAS A GENTLE MAN
HE WAS A GENTLEMAN
HE WAS A SINNER
I TAUGHT HIM WELL
SWEET JESUS
GIVE HIM REST
HE WILL BE MY PERSONAL SASHA
AS LONG AS I SHALL LIVE
MAY YOUR LIGHT ETERNAL
SHINE ON HIM
MAY YOUR SMILE
BE ALWAYS ON HIM
AS ONE SHEPHERD TO ANOTHER
TAKE CARE
OF MY LITTLE LAMB
FRANK A VOLLMER
ON A TABLE
NEAR THE ALTAR
DURING AN ORTHODOX FUNERAL
IS A DISH OF KOLYVA
IT IS MADE OF BOILED GRAIN
LIBERALLY LACED WITH HONEY
AND RAISINS
IN THE CENTER IS A LIGHTED CANDLE
IT IS A VISUAL AID
FOR THE MOURNERS
IT TEACHES
THAT AS A SEED MUST DIE FOR NEW LIFE
SO THE SOUL OF THE DEAD
HAS TRANSFORMED
INTO NEW LIFE
IT TEACHES
IN THE SHAPE OF THE BOWL
THAT THIS NEW LIFE IS ETERNAL
IT TEACHES
IN THE SWEETNESS
OF THE HONEY AND RAISINS
THE BLISS OF THE NEW LIFE
IT TEACHES
IN THE LIT CANDLE
THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF BAPTISM
IS NOW A PERPETUAL LIGHT
WHICH CANNOT GO OUT
AT THE END OF THE SERVICE
IT IS SHARED BY THE MOURNERS
IT TEACHES
TASTE AND SEE
HOW GOOD THE LORD IS
IN AFRICA
ESPECIALLY IN SWAHILI LAND
THEY HAVE A THREEFOLD
CONCEPT OF EXISTENCE
THAT GOES LIKE THIS
FIRST
THERE IS NORMAL LIFE
SECOND
THERE IS SASHA
THE LIVING DEAD
THEY LIVE
AS LONG AS PEOPLE
REMEMBER THEM
THIRD
THERE IS ZAMANI
THOSE REMEMBERED AS ANCESTORS
WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL REMEMBRANCE
THE LINE BETWEEN
SASHA AND ZAMANI
IS NOT HARD
A PERSON CAN DRIFT BACK AND FORTH
AS TIME GOES ON
HOW CLOSE IT COMES
TO THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
THAT GREAT BODY
WHICH INCLUDES US
OUR BELOVED
REMEMBERED DEAD
OUR FORGOTTEN DEAD
ALL ONE BODY
THE EARLY CHURCH
PRAYED FOR THE DEAD
THAT GOD MIGHT SHINE ON THEM
GIVE THEM PEACE
WITHOUT GETTING
INTO THE DEBATE
ABOUT PURGATORY
FOR WHICH THERE ARE ARGUMENTS
PRO AND CON
THE EARLY CHURCH
PRAYED FOR THE DEAD
WE WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER
THE CHURCH WAS NOT FOUNDED IN GERMANY
IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
BUT IN PALESTINE
TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO
WITH A PREVIOUS
LONG JEWISH HISTORY
WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD
THAT THEY MIGHT FIND PEACE
WE MARK IT IN THEIR TOMBSTONE
R.I.P.
BUT WHO REMEMBERS
THOSE
UNTIMELY RIPPED
FROM THEIR MOTHER’S WOMBS
THOSE BORN POOR
LIVED POOR
DIED POOR
WITH NEVER A FULL BELLY
THOSE UNWILLING VICTIMS
OF RACIAL PRIDE
NATIONALISTIC PRIDE
ARROGANT BEHAVIOR
AN UNFEELING CHURCH
WHO PRAYS FOR THEM
THE ZAMANI
THE UNKNOWN DEAD
WHO PRAYS FOR THEM
LET US NOW PRAY
FOR ERIC MY SON
HE WAS A GENTLE MAN
HE WAS A GENTLEMAN
HE WAS A SINNER
I TAUGHT HIM WELL
SWEET JESUS
GIVE HIM REST
HE WILL BE MY PERSONAL SASHA
AS LONG AS I SHALL LIVE
MAY YOUR LIGHT ETERNAL
SHINE ON HIM
MAY YOUR SMILE
BE ALWAYS ON HIM
AS ONE SHEPHERD TO ANOTHER
TAKE CARE
OF MY LITTLE LAMB
FRANK A VOLLMER
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