Wednesday, June 29, 2011

PARABLES


 SOME SAY JOSEPH AND JESUS
WERE CARPENTERS
WHICH BRINGS TO MIND
A MIDDLE CLASS HOME
WITH A SHOP OUT FRONT
PERHAPS WITH A SIGN
THAT SAYS
JOSEPH AND SON
MAKER OF EASY YOKES

SOME SAY HE WAS NOT

I TEND TO AGREE

NOT OUT OF SOME SCHOLAR DISCOVERY
BUT LIFE EXPERIENCE

I SPENT MOST OF MY WORK LIFE
AS AN AIRCRAFT WORKER
WE SPOKE A JARGON
WHICH A NEW EMPLOYEE
FOUND DIFFICULT
BUT WE SPOKE WHAT WE KNEW

READING THE SCRIPTURES
WE FIND

PARABLE OF THE SOWER………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE TARES AND WHEAT……………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED………FARMING
PARABLE OF THE TENANTS…………….FARMING
PARABLE OF THE YEAST…………..DOMESTIC LIFE
PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN………….DOMESTIC LIFE
PARABLE OF THE TREASURE IN A FIELD……….POOR MAN’S DREAM
PARABLE OF THE PEARL……………….POOR MAN’S DREAM
PARABLE OF THE FISH AND THEIR SORTING……………..FISHING
PARABLE OF LAZARUS THE BEGGAR…………HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS……………..INJUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE


THESE AND OTHERS SEEM TO SAY FARM BOY
DAY LABORER
HANDYMAN
JACK OF ALL TRADES

THERE WERE MORE OF THEM IN PALESTINE
THAN MIDDLE CLASS
WHEN JOSEPH AND JESUS LIVED

JESUS CAME TO EXPERIENCE
FULL HUMANITY

THEN WHERE ELSE
WOULD HE GO
THAN TO THE VERY BOTTOM

WHERE SUN RARELY PEAKS THROUGH
AND LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE
WHERE ONE COULD WORK ALL HIS LIFE
AND DIE POOR

WHETHER JESUS WAS A CARPENTER
OR NOT
DOESN’T MATTER

WHAT MATTERS
IS WHEN WE SEE
 MIGRANT FARM WORKERS
OR
DAY LABORERS
OUTSIDE OF HOME DEPOT
OR LOWES

THEY TOO WERE SAVED BY CHRIST
CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE
BLESSED WITH DIGNITY
AND HONOR

YOU SHALL NOT HOLD A DAY LABORER’S WAGES
TILL THE NEXT DAY
YOU SHALL NOT HOLD BACK A MAN’S DIGNITY
TILL A BETTER TIME


FRANK A VOLLMER

Monday, June 27, 2011

WHEAT AND TARES (Matthew 13:36-43)


IN THE PARABLE OF WHEAT AND TARES
THE TARES ARE DARNEL
WHICH CLOSELY RESEMBLES WHEAT
IN ITS EARLY STAGES

JESUS SAYS
LEAVE THEM

WE WILL SORT THEM OUT AT HARVEST

IN THE PLANT WORLD
WHEAT IS WHEAT
DARNEL IS DARNEL

IN THE HUMAN WORLD
UPRIGHT ONES CAN FALL
FALLEN ONES CAN RISE

PATIENCE IS ASKED OF THE GOOD
REPENTANCE IS ASKED OF THE SINNER
UNTIL THE HARVEST

SIMILARLY
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
DOES NOT MAKE AN ENEMY
BRUTAL ENFORCEMENT OF OPINIONS DO
NO MATTER WHO DOES THEM

IN THE MEANTIME
SAINTS IN THE GARDEN
MUST WORK WITH THE WHEAT
TO SUSTAIN THEM
WORK WITH THE TARES
TO CHANGE THEM

TO NOT DESPAIR
UNDER THE HOT SUN
FOR GOD’S PURPOSE WILL PREVAIL

FRANK A VOLLMER

Sunday, June 26, 2011

THE SOWER (Matt 13:3-23; Mk 4:2-20; Lk 8:4-15 )


 THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS
TRA-LA

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS
HE FLUNG THEM HIGH
HE FLUNG THEM LOW
HE FLUNG THEM WIDE
HE FLUNG THEM NEAR
TRA-LA

SOME FELL ON HARD GROUND
LIKE A TAMPED DOWN PATH
COULD NOT ROOT AND DIED

WHOSE FAULT
TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
IN WHICH NOTHING THRIVES

LIKE KEEPING A CHILD ALIVE IN THE WOMB
IGNORING IT THE REST OF ITS LIFE
WHILE BIRDS DEVOURED ITS SUBSTANCE

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEED
PRODIGAL IN HIS SOWING
THOSE WHO FAILED TO THRIVE
BECAUSE OF PERSONAL FAULTS
DESERVE THEIR FATE

BUT THOSE WHO FAILED TO THRIVE
BECAUSE OTHERS FAILED TO PREPARE THE FIELD
OR MADE THE FIELD UNFRUITFUL
WITH ROCKS AND THORNS NOT REMOVED
WHO SINS FOR NOT THRIVING
THE SEED
OR THOSE WHO ILL PREPARED THE FIELD
BY EITHER NEGLIGENCE
OR DELIBERATE

LIKE A CHILD
BORN POOR
WHO DIES HUNGRY
DO WE BLAME THE CHILD
FOR FAILING TO THRIVE

LIKE A CHILD BORN
TO A RACE THAT IS HATED
WHO NEVER BLOOMS
FOR LACK OF LIGHT

WHO’S TO BLAME
FOR SEED FAILURE
IN EVEN GOOD LAND
WHEN FEW CONTROL MOISTURE
AND FIELDS GO DRY

WE’RE TOLD
THERE WILL BE A RECKONING

WHY NOT NOW

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS
TRA-LA

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS
HE FLUNG THEM HIGH
HE FLUNG THEM LOW
HE FLUNG THEM WIDE
HE FLUNG THEM NEAR
TRA-LA


FRANK A VOLLMER

Thursday, June 23, 2011

(Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6) LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY


HIS DIET


WAS LOCUSTS

AND WILD HONEY

MANY EUROPEANS
TURN THEIR NOSE UP
AT THE LOCUSTS

BUT IN HIS DAY
AND CULTURE
LOCUST AND HONEY
WERE A MEAL FOR THE POOR
THE VERY POOR

WHO COULD SCAVENGE FOR IT
IN THE WILDERNESS

IT WAS THE VERY POOR
AND POOR
THAT JOHN PREACHED TO
THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION
THE PEASANTS

ROUGH TREATED HUMANS
CREATE
A ROUGH RELIGION

SO JOHN SPOKE TO THEM ROUGHLY
BUT IN HIS HEART
HE WAS LIKE A PARENT DISCIPLINING HIS CHILD

WHAT MUST WE DO THEY CRIED
SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE
CLOTHING
FOOD
BE HONEST IN YOUR WORK
BE HONORABLE
IN YOUR DEALING WITH OTHERS
BE A CHILD OF ABRAHAM

REMEMBER
BEING A CHILD OF ABRAHAM
GAINS YOU NOTHING
IF YOUR ACTIONS ARE UNWORTHY
OF BEING ABRAHAM’S CHILD

JOHN WASN’T A DIPLOMAT
HE WAS BEHEADED

NEITHER WAS JESUS
HE WAS CRUCIFIED

BUT BEFORE THAT
JESUS
WITH A DAWNING SENSE OF VOCATION
JOINED JOHN’S
RENEWAL MOVEMENT

HE WAS BAPTIZED

GOING DOWN INTO THE WATER
LIKE THE RED SEA
COMING UP A MEMBER
DEDICATED TO CHANGE
FROM THE SLAVERY OF THE OLD
TO THE FREEDOM OF THE NEW

BY THE TIME JOHN DIED
JESUS HAD BRANCHED OUT ON HIS OWN

JOHN WAS A GOOD FRONTMAN
BUT JESUS THOUGHT
HE PREACHED
AN ANGRY GOD

HIS CONCEPT WAS DIFFERENT
HE BELIEVED GOD LOVED HIS CREATION
WANTED WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIS CREATION

WHO WOULD
THOUGH HE DIDN’T KNOW IT AT THE TIME
DIE FOR HIS CREATION

JESUS WAS A PEASANT
HIS FATHER WAS A TEKTON
A DAY LABORER

HE SHARED WITH OTHER PEASANTS
A NATURAL DISTASTE
FOR CHURCH
AND STATE


BOTH IN HIS MIND
WANTED TO KEEP HIM DOWN
AND TAKE HIS MONEY


HE SAID TO HIS FELLOW PEASANTS
YOU HAVE DIGNITY
WHICH CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY
YOU HAVE BEEN CREATED BY GOD IN HIS IMAGE
WALK PROUDLY
HOLD UP YOUR HEAD

YOU ARE
EACH OF YOU
GOD’S FAVORITE

WHICH WAS WHY
WHEN HE ENTERED THE TEMPLE
WHEN HE SAW THE GOUGING OF THE POOR
HE BECAME INCENSED
AND IN A HOLY RAGE
CHASED THEM FROM THE TEMPLE

SO DOING
HE HAD SIGNED HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT

HE HAD UPSET
HOWEVER BRIEFLY
THE MONEY MACHINE
FOR THAT
HE MUST DIE

THEY KILLED HIM
THEY PLANTED HIM
THEY WALKED AWAY DUSTING THEIR HANDS
THAT’S THE END OF HIM THEY THOUGHT

BUT HIS TEACHING
BURST FROM THE TOMB
LIKE A SWARM OF LOCUSTS

AND THEY SANG AS THEY FLEW
TASTE AND SEE
THE SWEETNESS OF GOD

FRANK A VOLLMER

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

SHEEPDOG


 WE MIGHT AS WELL BE SHEEP DOGS

WE’RE AT THE MALL

AND THE WIFE SAYS

WAIT HERE

I’LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE


WHICH IS GIRL TALK
FOR STAY

I RETIRE TO A BENCH
AND WAIT

IN COMPANY OF OTHER MEN
WHO DON’T LIKE SHOPPING

THE CONVERSATION CIRCLES
OVER SPORTS
WEATHER
AND SETTLES OVER WHAT’S KEEPING HER

FINALLY SHE COMES OUT
BURDENED WITH BAGS

WHICH I INHERIT

WE THEN RESUME OUR PILGRIMAGE
TO FIND THE HOLY GRAIL OF BARGAINS

HOWEVER

IF A BOOKSTORE LOOMS
OR A GADGET STORE
AND I SUGGEST I’D LIKE TO GO IN

IN FIVE MINUTES

I’VE TIMED IT
SHE’S AT MY SIDE SAYING

ARE YOU GOING TO BE ALL DAY



SO BEING THE OBEDIENT SHEEPDOG
I’VE BECOME

I PROGRESS TO THE NEXT STORE
WHERE I SIT OBEDIENTLY
FOR MY MASTER

FRANK A VOLLMER

Thursday, June 9, 2011

IT HAPPENS (JOHN 9:1-5)


IT HAPPENS


Ecclesiastes 9:11-12


 I have seen something else under the sun:
   The race is not to the swift 
   or the battle to the strong, 
nor does food come to the wise 
   or wealth to the brilliant 
   or favor to the learned; 
but time and chance happen to them all.
 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
   As fish are caught in a cruel net, 
   or birds are taken in a snare, 
so people are trapped by evil times 
   that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Ezekiel 7:8-9
  I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices.  I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the LORD who strikes the blow.

John 9:3-5
    “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

A BETTER TRANSLATION OF JOHN 9
MIGHT BE
NEITHER
IT HAPPENS
BUT GOD CAN USE THIS MISFORTUNE
TO PROVE HIS GLORY

THERE IS A RUDE BUMPER STICKER
WHICH SAYS IT BETTER
WHICH IF WE WEREN’T SO PRUDISH
WE MIGHT HAVE CHRIST SAY

IT HAPPENS

BETTER THAN THE PIOUS MONSTROSITIES
WE SAY
WHEN MISFORTUNE HIT

IT HAPPENS

SOUND SHALLOW
BUT IT’S ALL A CREATOR CAN DO
WHO GAVE HIS CREATURES
DOMAIN OVER CREATION

DO I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES
YES
BUT SIX MILLION JEWS
PRAYED FOR LIFE
GOD WAS SILENT
THEY DIED

IT HAPPENS

THERE IS A MYTHIC TALE
THAT CAMP PRISONERS
PUT GOD ON TRIAL FOR THAT SILENCE
AND FOUND HIM GUILTY

AFTER THE VERDICT
THEY HAD EVENING PRAYER
IT DIDN’T CHANGE THE CIRCUMSTANCES
IT CHANGED THE PRAY-ER

AND SPEAKING OF THAT SILENCE
WE HAVE THOSE WHO SAY THAT GOD
IS PUNISHING US FOR HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR

WHY WASN’T HE ACTIVE DURING THE HOLOCAUST
AND ALL THE HOLOCAUSTS
PAST AND PRESENT

SEX ACTS………ABOMINATION
MURDER…………NOT SO BAD

FOR THOSE WHO CRITICIZE GOD 
FOR HIS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
OR LACK OF

CONSIDER
IF HE RAN THE WORLD
ACCORDING TO OUR STANDARDS

WE’D BE PRETTY QUICK
TO PRAY FOR A RETURN
TO THE OLD WAY

IT HAPPENS
C’EST LA VIE
THAT’S THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES

HARSH WORDS
WHEN ONE SEEKS COMFORT

TRUE WORDS
WHEN ONE SEEKS FANTASY

WHY DO BAD THINGS
HAPPEN TO THE GOOD

IT’S A PUZZLEMENT
I DO NOT CLAIM THE ANSWER

BUT TO SAY THAT GOD ALLOWS IT WILLINGLY
HURTS MY IMAGE OF GOD


WHO WEEPS WHEN MISFORTUNE FALLS ON US 
WHICH WE CREATED

WHO WEEPS WHEN MISFORTUNE HITS
WHICH WE HAVE NOT CREATED

WHO LOVES US
GOOD TIME
AND BAD

WHO SEES OUR SINS
THEIR AFTERMATH
AND HATES BOTH

WHO SEES OUR HARD TIMES
OUR MISFORTUNE
AND IS SORRY FOR BOTH

FRANK A VOLLMER

Monday, June 6, 2011

FLOURISH


I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT
AND HOPED
I’D GO OUT WITH A FLOURISH
WAVE MY WHITE PLUME
DISMISSIVELY AT DEATH
AND BE GONE
PERHAPS WITH SOMETHING
DRAMATIC ON MY LIPS
IT’S THE WAY ACTORS DIE

BUT LATELY
IT’S BECOMING MORE OBVIOUS
I’M GOING
MORE LIKE AN APPLE
LEFT ON A TREE
AFTER PICKING

LEFT TO GO BROWN
AND WRINKLED

OH LACKADAY AND FORSOOTH

I REMEMBER
A BUNCH
OF POOR HUNGRY BOYS
AMONG THEM ME
WHO FOUND SUCH APPLES
AND THOUGHT THEM
AMBROSIA

PERHAPS MY DEMISE
MAY BE
BIGGER THAN A HERO’S
FLOURISH AT DEFEAT

A BOY’S BITE
AN EMPTY BELLY

FRANK A VOLLMER