Monday, November 26, 2012

advent in auschwitz


ADVENT IN AUSCHWITZ


WHAT PASSING BELL
FOR THOSE WHO DIE LIKE CATTLE

SO SINGS THE POET WILFRED OWEN
OF SOLDIERS
KILLED
IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

WHAT PASSING BELL
FOR THOSE WHO DIE LIKE CATTLE

WHAT PASSING BELL
FOR THOSE WHO DIED
AT AUSCHWITZ
BERGEN-BELSEN
TREBLINKA

NOT THE ONLY DISASTER
TO HAVE HAPPENED
BUT THIS HAPPENED
IN MY LIFETIME

TO PEOPLE
SOME OF WHOM
BORE MY LAST NAME

DID NOT MESSIAH
ROAM THESE CAMPS
CRYING
THIS IS NOT RELIGION
BUT
HATRED

EACH ONE WHO DIES
DIES AS CHRIST

EACH ONE WHO DIES
IS A LILY IN THE FIELD

BELOVED BY ITS MAKER


EACH ONE WHO IS SHOT
GASSED
STARVED
HUNG
BURNED
CRIES OUT
WHERE IS YOUR RELIGION

THE JEWS CRY FOR A MESSIAH

CHRISTIANS CRY FOR A MESSIAH

PEOPLE WHO KNOW HIM NOT
CRY FOR A MESSIAH

BUT HE WILL NOT INTRUDE

HE MADE THE WORLD FOR US
GAVE US DOMINION

BECAUSE WE WOULD PREFER TO EAT THE FRUIT
HE GAVE US DOMINION

MAKE IT WORK

HE SAID
YOU WANTED DOMINION

MAKE IT WORK

I TREASURE
EVERY LILY IN THE FIELD

GARDENER
TEND YOUR FLOWERS

FRANK A VOLLMER

Friday, November 9, 2012

CHRISTMAS EVE


CHRISTMAS EVE

SANTA WAS IN A BIND
THE ELVES WERE SICK
THE REINDEER SNEEZING
RUDOLPH HAD BLOWN HIS NOSE OUT
AND CHRISTMAS WAS AROUND THE CORNER
CANCELING WAS NOT AN OPTION
BUT WHAT TO DO
WITH A SMILE HE HAD AN IDEA
I SHALL GO TO MY OLD PAL PIGTAIL
THE DONKEY WITH THE TWISTED TAIL
IN THE LAND OF NOT QUITE PERFECT
HE ENLISTED PIGTAIL
TO PULL HIS SLED

ALONG WITH SOME UNICORNS
WHOSE HORNS WERE EITHER MISSHAPEN
OR BROKEN
SOME HORSES
OFTEN CALLED NAGS
SLOW IN SPEED BUT FAST WITH EFFORT
SOME REINDEER
NOT PATHFINDERS
BUT FOLLOWERS
NOT LEADERS
SOME BIRDS CALLED
WHEREAREWE
FOR A GPS

THOUGH SANTA KNEW THE WAY
BUT IT MADE THE BIRDS HAPPY
HE THOUGHT
IT DOESN’T TAKE PERFECTION
TO GET A JOB DONE
THE ANT AND MOSQUITO
THOUGH SMALL
COMPLETE THEIR TASK
THE LESS FAVORED
ARE ONLY LESS FAVORED
IN THEIR MIND
INSIDE
WHERE IT COUNTS
THEY ARE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL
AND CAPABLE
AS ANYONE ELSE
SO CHRISTMAS EVE
IF YOU HEAR OF ALL THINGS
A DONKEY BRAY
YOUR GIFTS WERE BROUGHT
BY THOSE NOT PERFECT
BUT BEAUTIFUL


FRANK A VOLLMER