Monday, October 29, 2012

SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS


SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS



ENGRAVED ON A TOMB
IN AN OLD ROMAN GRAVEYARD
ARE THE LETTERS
S T T L
SIMILAR TO THE LETTERS
 R I P
WE FIND IN OUR CHURCHYARDS

IT STANDS FOR
SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS
MAY THE EARTH LIE GENTLY ON YOU

MUCH OF OUR FUNERAL WORDS
ARE DEDICATED TO
PEACE
REST
SLEEP

AS A CHRISTIAN
WHEN WE VISIT THE GRAVE SITE
OF A LOVED ONE

WE ARE VISITING THE BODY AND MEMORY
OF THE DECEASED
THE IMPORTANT PART OF HIM
HAS GONE TO THE PLACE GOD HAS FOR HIM

WE MIGHT IMAGINE IN A FANCIFUL MOOD
 TO SEE AN ANGEL SITTING ON A GRAVESTONE
SAYING

WHY
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HIM AMONG THE DEAD
HE LIVES

HEART AND HE
AWAIT YOU IN GALILEE



THE BODY
WHICH MOST OF US
ENCLOSE GENTLY IN THE EARTH
IS NOT THE BODY OF THEIR VIGOR

BUT A BODY SCARRED
BY
AGE
DISEASE
CALAMITY

THE MULE HAS CARRIED US
TO THE JOURNEY’S END
AND RESTS

OUR BEING SINGS
HOLY
HOLY
HOLY

IT TELLS OUR LOVED ONES
I AM AT PEACE


FRANK A VOLLMER



Monday, October 22, 2012

GRANDFATHER'S POCKET WATCH






GRANDFATHER’S POCKET WATCH


MY GRANDFATHER WAS A SHOWMAN
HE LIVED THE LIFE

WHEN TIMES WERE GOOD
HE CARRIED A POCKET WATCH
WITH FOB AND CHAIN
AND GAUDY VEST

WHEN TIMES WERE BAD
IT SAT IN A PAWN SHOP
WAITING TO BE REDEEMED

WHEN WE WEREN’T UNEMPLOYED
BUT BETWEEN GIGS

EVENTUALLY THE WATCH WAS MINE
WITH A LETTER THAT SAID
OPEN ONLY IN AN EMERGENCY

MY WIFE WAS SICK
AT WORK THEY WERE CUTTING HOURS
BILLS WERE MOUNTING

NOT ONLY COULD I NOT MAKE ENDS MEET
I COULDN’T SEE THE ENDS

I OPENED THE LETTER

KIDDO IT SAID
IF YOU’RE BROKE
SELL THE WATCH

YOU’RE KEEPING IT FOR A MEMORY
YOU HAVE MORE MEMORIES IN YOUR HEART
MORE VIVID MEMORIES
THAN A WATCH

SELL THE WATCH

I REMEMBER MY GRANDFATHER FONDLY
SOMETIMES HOLES IN HIS SOLES
BUT THE TOP ALWAYS POLISHED



A GIFT FOR THE FUTURE HE SAID
AND WHEN YOU’RE ABLE
DO IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE


SO MANY BLESSINGS
WE CANNOT REPLAY
THEY’RE IN THE PAST

BUT THOSE WHO BLESSED US
WOULD BLESS US FOR THINKING OF OTHERS

GOD’S LOVE IS LIKE THAT WATCH


FRANK A VOLLMER

Thursday, October 18, 2012

PS 50:11

Psalm 50:11
I know every bird in the mountains



SOMEONE SAID
THAT LIFE IS LIKE A BIRD
AT NIGHT
FLYING THROUGH A LIGHTED ROOM
FLYING THROUGH AND OUT
FROM DARKNESS
TO DARKNESS
BRIEFLY ILLUMINED
THEN GONE
SOUNDING LIKE SOMETHING FROM ECCLESIASTES
BUT IS LIFE
THIS BRIEF MOMENT
ON THE STAGE
THEN THE CURTAIN
BUT THINK OF THE BIRD’S WONDER OF FLIGHT
THE POETRY AND MUSIC OF ITS SONG
THE SIGH OF RELIEF
AT ITS PARTING
THINGS TO BE TREASURED
AFTER IT’S GONE
A THING OF BEAUTY
WE ARE ASKED
TO MAKE OUR FLIGHT
BEAUTIFUL
IF WE HIT A WALL
TO TRY AGAIN
GOD FORGIVE ME FOR THE WALLS I'VE HIT
HELP ME TO MAKE THE REST OF MY FLIGHT
BEAUTIFUL
FRANK A VOLLMER

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

NINETY-NINE



NINETY-NINE

IN THE MUSLIM WORLD
THEY SAY
ALLAH
HAS NINETY-NINE NAMES

THE CAMEL
WEARS A GRIN
HE KNOWS THE HUNDREDTH
BUT WON’T TELL

HOW LIKE AMERICAN CHRISTIANS
WHO THINK
WE ARE GOD’S SPECIAL NATION
ALL SHOULD BOW TO US

WHO TREAT
THE STRANGER
IN OUR MIDST
WITH HOSTILITY

WE DEEM THEM
HEWERS OF WOOD
DRAWERS OF WATER

WE ARE A DISGRACE TO HIS TEACHING

LIKE THE CAMEL
WE ARE SMUG
IN OUR KNOWING

WE FACE THE WORLD
WITH A SMILING FACE
AND A BITE


FRANK A VOLLMER


Saturday, October 13, 2012

[Proverbs 29:18] ORIENTAL WISDOM




ORIENTAL WISDOM

A CHINESE SAGE
WAS ASKED BY HIS STUDENT
WHAT DOES A MAN NEED TO BE HAPPY

HE THOUGHT
AND SAID
AN ARMY

NOT FOR WAR
BUT FOR PEACE

SUFFICIENT FOOD
TO ELIMINATE WANT

TRUST IN LEADERS
BOTH CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS
THAT THEY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING

THESE THREE
A MAN NEEDS

BUT WHAT IF YOU ONLY COULD HAVE TWO

THEN I’D OMIT THE ARMY
MAN WOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN PEACE
BY HIMSELF

BUT WHAT IF YOU ONLY COULD HAVE ONE

THEN I WOULD OMIT FOOD
MAN DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE

WHY WOULD YOU KEEP FAITH

BECAUSE WITHOUT FAITH
THE PEOPLE PERISH

FRANK A VOLLMER

Thursday, October 4, 2012

(John 2:19) PROFANE

PROFANE

THE WORD PROFANE
MEANS
OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE
IT’S A WORD THE TEMPLE KEEPERS USE
TO PROTECT THE SANCTITY OF THEIR PLACE
THE ARE MANY TEMPLES
NEIGHBORHOOD
CITY
STATE
RACE
RELIGION
TOO OFTEN IT IS USED
TO SEPARATE THE PRIVILEGED
TO KEEP THE RIFFRAFF OUT
TO ADMIT THE SACRED
THE SET APART
TO KEEP THE OTHERS OUT
TO PROFANE THEM
TOO OFTEN THE TEMPLE KEEPERS
SHUN
RATHER THAN EMBRACE
BUT CHRIST SAYS
I WILL DEMOLISH THESE TEMPLES
REBUILD THEM IN MY IMAGE
IF YOU WILL LET ME
WE LAUGHED HIM TO SCORN
DREAMER
IMPRACTICAL
OUR VESTED INTERESTS
ARE MORE IMPORTANT
YOU’RE ONLY A ROADBLOCK TO PROGRESS
TO HELL WITH THE PROFANE
THEY DON’T BELONG
GO BUILD A WAYSIDE CHAPEL
WHERE BELONGERS
WON’T BE BOTHERED
AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT
TAKE THE PROFANE WITH YOU
FRANK A VOLLMER