Thursday, December 29, 2011

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS



SUPPOSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY
THAT THE BIBLE IS THE UNERRING WORD OF GOD

FOR SOME OF YOU
CREATION TOOK SEVEN DAYS

THAT GOD SPOKE THE KING JAMES VERSION

THAT THE NAME OF THE BIBLE BOOKS
ARE THE NAMES OF THE AUTHORS

THAT ANY ANOMALIES ARE THE FAULT OF THE READER
NOT THE BOOK

WE
IN THIS MOST CHRISTIAN COUNTRY
DECLARE THIS BOOK TO BE SACRED
AND THE BASIS OF OUR BELIEF

WE WANT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
POSTED IN OUR PUBLIC PLACES

PRAYER IN SCHOOL
AS LONG AS IT’S THE CHRISTIAN GOD

BUT WHY SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN VIEW HAVE PRIORITY
IS IT BETTER

WHERE IS THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING

AVARICE IN THE MARKET PLACE
UNJUSTIFIED WAR
ONE LAW FOR THE RICH
ONE FOR THE POOR
HATRED FOR THE STRANGER
IN OUR MIDST
THE LIST GOES ON

ALL OF THEM CLEARLY CONDEMNED IN THE BOOK

WE ARE A NATION OF HYPOCRITES

WE ARE LIKE THE GOD JANUS
ONE FACE FOR THE PUBLIC
ONE FOR OUR REAL SELVES

NOT LOOKING BACK TO SEE WHERE WE ERRED
THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO NOT REPEAT THE ERRORS

WE SHOULD
TO PARAPHRASE THE VERNACULAR
PUT OUR BELIEFS INTO OUR ACTIONS

IF THE BIBLE IS GOD’S UNERRING WORD
WE SHOULD DO MORE THAN LISTEN
OR PARROT KEY PHRASES
WE SHOULD OBSERVE THE WORD
AND LIVE IT

FRANK A VOLLMER

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

COME LORD JESUS



 
“Jim, Christianity has nothing to do with racism.”
That's what my church elder told me when I was a 15-year-old boy. Can you believe that? “That's political, and our faith is personal,” he said.
That's the night I left my church.
Jim Wallis
President and CEO, Sojourners
(a magazine dedicated to faith in action for social justice)


Come Lord Jesus

I hope when all the sentimentality of Christmas is over
That Jesus receives in his stocking
Real food not pap
That men need each other to survive
That the social gospel
Is the gospel
Not an addendum

As we gather in warm churches
Many are cold
As we receive the lord
Many are hungry
As we showoff our Christmas finery
Many are naked
As we celebrate family
Many are lonely
As we think of a child forced to flee to Egypt
Many will not accept the stranger in our midst

We have been taught a narrow image of religion
So that many wonder what happened to the message of Christ

The straw in the manger is prickly
So should be our conscience

Come lord Jesus
Really come
Not as we imagine
But really come

Frank A Vollmer


Sunday, December 18, 2011

GETTING RELIGION

MY DOG IS GETTING RELIGION
HE ATE THE BABY JESUS OUT OF THE MANGER
THE SHEPHERDS WERE TENDING THEIR SHEEP
THE WISE MEN WERE LOOKING FOR A STAR
MARY AND JOSEPH FELL OVER IN AWE
AND JESUS WENT DOWN THE DOG’S GULLET

I LOOKED FOE CHANGES
IN MY POOCH’S BEHAVIOR
SAW NONE
HE STILL SHED
SLOBBERED HIS WATER
NEEDED TO BE WALKED
WHERE HE SALUTED EVERY TREE AS USUAL

BUT THEN HE DIDN’T HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO BE TRUSTWORTHY
AND FAITHFUL

A FOLK LEGEND
SAYS
THAT A DOG’S LIFE IS SHORT
BECAUSE EVERYONE LIVES LONG ENOUGH
TO BECOME LOYAL   AND TRUSTWORTHY
IF THEY TRY

DOGS LEARN FASTER

IN FACT
A COMMON NAME FOR DOGS
USED TO BE
FIDO
LATIN FOR I TRUST

GOD HAS BEEN CALLED
THE HOUND FROM HEAVEN
HE WILL PURSUE YOU
TIRELESSLY

TO LAY AT YOUR FEET
THE BABY JESUS
THAT HE MAY BECOME
YOURS

FRANK A VOLLMER


Saturday, December 17, 2011

CODE IN THE NODE

I HAVE A CODE IN THE NODE
MY NODE LOOKS LIKE A NIGHT OF DRINKING
I’M THE EAST COAST DISTRIBUTOR
OF MALAISE AND MAL DE TETE

I’M ON DRUGS THAT WOULD KILL A HORSE
THAT’S BECAUSE I’VE GOT A COLT
THAT’S THE MANE REASON I’M SICK

THIS STALLION IS ILLY
THAT’S KIND OF SILLY
MY NOSE IS WINNING THE RACE
IT’S RUNNING AT WHIM
OVER MY CHIN
IT’S PUDDLING ALL OVER THE FLOOR

I’D REALLY BE THANKY
FOR THE LOAN OF A HANKY
MINE ARE ALL USED UP
WOULD YOU BELIEVE
I’M USING MY SLEEVE
BUT I’M WEARING A SLEEVELESS SHIRT

NOW LET ME PRATTLE
ABOUT MY CHEST RATTLE
THE COUGHING THE COUGHING THE COUGH
I SOUND JUST THE SAME
AS AN OLD FASHIONED TRAIN
CHUGGING AND CHUGGING AND CHUG

LET’S ALL LIGHT A CANDLE
DO THE CHICKEN BONE DANCE
ANYTHING TO MAKE ME FEEL WELL

I PROBABLY SHOULD YELL OUT
 UNCLEAN UNCLEAN

I FEEL LIKE A LEPER
AND LOOK LIKE ONE TWO

I HAVE A CODE IN THE NODE

FRANK A VOLLMER


Friday, December 9, 2011

HISTORY/STORY (BIRTH NARRATIVES)






DID IT REALLY HAPPEN

DID MAGI COME BRINGING GIFTS

DID SHEPHERDS LEAVE THEIR FLOCK

DID SOLDIERS SLAY CHILDREN FOR A KING

DID THEY HAVE TO FLEE TO EGYPT



SOME SAY YES

THE BIBLE IS HISTORY



SOME SAY NO

THE BIBLE IS STORY



BUT WHATEVER WAY IT HAPPENED

YES OR NO

OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN



A CHILD WAS BORN

MIRACLE ENOUGH IN ITSELF



BY LEAP OF FAITH

THAT CHILD IS GOD



THERE IS NO NEED FOR STORY



BUT DO WE LIVE

AS ONE

WHOM CHRIST WALKED AMONG

TAUGHT

DIED

ROSE

LEFT IN BODY

BUT HIS SPIRIT REMAINS



OR ARE WE STILL

AT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS

BEING SERVED SWEETNESS

WHEN WE NEED MEAT



HAS THE WONDER OF THE INCARNATION

CHANGED US



THAT EVERY MAN HAS DIGNITY

BECAUSE CHRIST DID NOT THINK

IT BELOW HIS DIGNITY

TO BE COME ONE



SO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR

THERE IS A CHILD THAT NEEDS NOURISHING



AND HIS FOOD

IS LOVE AND SERVICE



FRANK A VOLLMER




Tuesday, November 29, 2011

CHRISTMAS TRIO BY FRANK A VOLLMER



WHERE IS MESSIAH


IN POLAND
IN WARSAW
IN THE JEWISH CEMETERY
IN ONE OF THE TOMBS
A WOMAN GAVE BIRTH

HER ONLY ATTENDANT
THE CARETAKER
WHO WAS HIDING TOO

HE SAID

PERHAPS THIS ONE IS THE MESSIAH
BORN SO LOWLY
DESPISED
AND SPIT UPON

PERHAPS HE IS THE MESSIAH

THE CHRISTIAN MESSIAH
HAS BROUGHT US NO PEACE

BUT HE WATCHED HIS DREAM FADE
AS THE CHILD
SUCKED ON HIS MOTHER’S TEARS

HER BREASTS WERE DRY


THE CHILD
SUCKED ON HIS MOTHER’S TEARS
AND DIED

EVENTUALLY
THEY WERE FOUND
AND WENT UP IN SMOKE

THE NEARBY VILLAGERS
SMELLED THE SMOKE
AND KNEW WHAT IT WAS

THEIR HOMES STANK OF IT

THEY CALLED IT
       JEWISH PERFUME

IN A WORLD
STILL PLAGUED
BY WAR
HUNGER
AND HATRED

CAN WE NOT SAY

WHERE IS MESSIAH


FRANK A VOLLMER














SNOW


FIFTEEN THOUSAND CHILDREN
WERE INCARCERATED
IN TEREZIN CONCENTRATION CAMP
ONLY ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO
 OF THOSE CHILDREN
 WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SURVIVED



LIKE SNOW THEY FELL
GRAY SNOWFLAKES
BLANKING ALL AS SNOW WILL

THEY WERE BITS OF SKIN
INCINERATED SKIN
THAT THE CHIMNEYS
BELCHED FORTH
LIKE A SNOW MACHINE
ON A SKI SLOPE

BUT SNOW NEVER SMELT
LIKE BURNT FLESH

SNOW WAS WHITE

LIKE THE FAUX SNOW
AROUND THE CRÈCHE
WHERE THE CHRIST CHILD LAY
BEING SERENADED
WITH STILLE NACHT

THE CHRIST CHILD
THE KING OF THE JEWS
WHILE HS SUBJECTS
WENT UP IN SMOKE


SILENT NIGHT
SILENT NIGHT
WHILE HIS SUBJECTS
SCREAMED LOUDLY
WHEN THE SHOWER TURNED DEADLY

CAN WE BLAME THOSE
WHO CREATED THIS SHOAH
CERTAINLY
BUT TO BE FAIR
WE SHOULD ALSO BLAME THE CHURCH
THAT PREACHED CHRIST KILLERS
FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS

RELIGION
WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO HELP MAN
LIVE IN RELATION
TO HIS BROTHERS
SO OFTEN
SHOWS HATE

IN FACT
THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SQUABBLE
WAS WHEN CAIN KILLED ABEL

THE JEWS WERE CONSIDERED
A NON-PEOPLE
CURSED BY GOD
THEY WERE A HANDY SCAPEGOAT
WHEN THINGS WENT BAD

FROM INDIVIDUALS UP TO THE STATE
THEY WERE SCAPEGOATS
WHEN THINGS WENT WRONG


THEY WERE THE LEAST

IN CONTRADICTION TO CHRIST TEACHING
THEY WERE NOT TREATED KINDLY
BUT AS CHRIST’S BODY
THEY WERE
BEATEN
STARVED
KILLED
BURNT

WHILE PIOUSITIES
POURED OUT
FROM PULPITS

THIS IS MY BODY
FLOATING IN THE AIR LIKE SNOW

THIS IS MY BLOOD
BEATEN FROM MY BODY

AND THE EARTH CRIES OUT
WHO IS MY BROTHER




















RACHAEL'S CHILDREN

IS THERE EVER A GOOD TIME
FOR GOD TO BE BORN

IS THERE EVER A TIME
 THAT WILL NOT CAUSE PAIN

HE OFTEN THOUGHT THESE THOUGHTS
SITTING WITH THE WOMEN
WHOSE CHILDREN
 HEROD HAD SLAIN

A THING HE DID OFTEN
ON HIS BIRTHDAY

OH NOW THEY WERE CONSOLED
YEARS AND A LIFE LATER

DON'T COME THE TEMPTER HAD SAID
OILY VOICED AS USUAL
PRAISING EVIL NOT AS BAD BUT GOOD
OR EXPEDIENT
DON'T COME NOW

BUT THE EARTH WAS GROANING IN LABOR
AS THE EARTH
IS ALWAYS GROANING IN LABOR
THERE IS ALWAYS NEED
FOR GOD TO BE BORN

SO THE WOMEN WERE CONTENT
TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE

BUT EACH ONE FELT
A HOLLOWNESS OF YEARS
THAT HE COULD
BUT COULD NOT FILL

NOR CALL BACK
THE WAIL OF RACHEL

THE WAIL OF RACHEL
FOR HER CHILDREN

Sunday, November 20, 2011

GOATS AND LAMBS (CHRIST THE KING)


THE GOATS WERE BROUGHT INTO THE BARN
AFTER THEIR DAY IN THE FIELD

THEY COULDN’T STAND THE COLD

BUT THE SHEEP REMAINED OUTSIDE
WARM IN THEIR COAT

MILKING THE GOAT WAS WOMEN’S WORK
A DEBAUCHED WOMEN WAS CALLED A GOAT

THE GOATS WERE BLACK
THE SHEEP WOOL WHITE

THE GOATS WERE PROMISCUOUS
THEY SHARED THEIR MATES
THE SHEEP DID NOT

OUT OF ALL THIS FOLKLORE
JESUS SPUN A TALE
USING IMAGES THE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD

HE STARTS BY SAYING

THE KING COMES IN GLORY

SO CRITICAL IN THE EAST
THE DEMAND FOR RESPECT

SO HE COMES IN GLORY
AND SITS ON THE GLORY THRONE

COMMANDING RESPECT
AS BEFITS A KING

AND TELLS A COMMON STORY
OF SEPARATING SHEEP FROM GOATS

SEPARATING THE GOOD
FROM THE INDIFFERENT


THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY BAD
THE GOATS
THEY WERE INDIFFERENT

AND SAID TO THE SHEEP
WHO WERE CARING
AND HUDDLED TOGETHER FOR WARMTH

COME INTO THE KINGDOM
I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU
AND I’LL SHALL BE YOUR SHEPHERD


FRANK A VOLLMER