GIVE THEM REST

GIVE THEM REST

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

PIE JESU

PIE JESU

PIE JESU

GRANT THEM REST LORD

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT THEM REST LORD

UNDISTURBED

PIE JESU

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT REST TO CHILDREN

DEAD BEFORE THEY WERE BORN

TO VICTIMS OF WAR

TO VICTIMS OF HATE

TO VICTIMS OF PROFIT

AT ANY COST

GRANT THEM REST

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT THEM REST

GRANT THEM REST

AND PROMINENCE

WHO OFTEN WERE IGNORED IN LIFE

OR WORSE INVISIBLE

OH SWEET JESUS

WHO TAKES AWAY

THE SINS OF THE WORLD

TAKE AWAY THE EFFECTS OF SIN

AS IT AFFECTS THEM

GRANT THEM REST

LORD JESUS

WHOSE LIFE

WAS A DISCORDANT SONG

GRANT THEM REST

GRANT THEM PEACE

FOREVERMORE

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P0PPIES

 

THE POPPIES THAT LITTERED THE BATTLEFIELD

WERE BROUGHT ON BY THE LITTER OF WAR

FOR POPPIES ONLY GROW ON BROKEN SOIL

WHETHER BY PLOW OR BOMBARDMENT

THE POPPY DOESN'T CARE

IT GROWS IN BROKEN SOIL

 

AND THE POPPIES STILL GROW IN BROKEN SOIL

 

BECAUSE OUR PROMISES

MADE TO THESE OUR DEAD

OUR HONORED DEAD

HAVE NOT BEEN KEPT

WE SAID THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER

BECAUSE OF THEIR DEATH

THEIR SACRIFICE

 

BUT UNLIKE CHRIST

THEIR DEATH DID NOT BRING RESURRECTION

 

SO TO THESE DEAD

THESE HONORED DEAD

WE RECOMMIT OURSELVES

THAT THE WORLD AND COUNTRY

THEY DIED FOR

WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE

THAT PEACE AND LOVE

WOULD HAVE NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES

THAT FOOD AND HAPPINESS

WOULD NOT BE FOR THE FEW

BUT THE MANY

THAT THE DREAMS THEY DIED FOR

WOULD COME TRUE

THAT MEN WOULD TURN SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES

AND SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

THAT THE LAMB AND THE LION WOULD LIE DOWN TOGETHER

THAT THERE WOULD BE A NEW RESURRECTION

THAT HEARTS WOULD BE BROKEN OPEN BY LOVE

AND GROWING IN THAT BROKEN-NESS

POPPIES WOULD LITTER THE LANDSCAPE

 

SLEEP WELL HONORED DEAD

WE WILL REMEMBER OUR PROMISES

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RAINY DAY EASTER

IT WAS THAT KIND OF DAY

DRIVING WINDS AND PELTING RAIN

THAT SENT STREAMS OF WATER DOWN THE STEEP

AND NARROW STREETS

IT RAN IN SHEETS OFF THE TERRA-COTTA ROOFS

UPON THE WOMEN ON THEIR WAY

TO THE TOMB WHERE JESUS LAY

BENEATH A SKY OF FUNERAL GRAY

FINALLY THE GRAVEYARD REACHED

THE WIND WAS STRONGER IN THE CLEAR

IT FORCED THEM TO SEEK SHELTER BY A WALL

WHO SHALL ROLL THE STONE AWAY

PERHAPS THE SOLDIERS MAY

THEY STRUGGLED WITH THE WIND TO REACH THE TOMB

IT WAS OPEN TO THE WEATHER

OH NO NO THEY MOANED

THE WIND ECHOED NOOOO

OH NO NONONONONOOO

WHERE' IS MY LORD THEY CRIED

WHERE OH WHERE THE WIND SIGHED

WHY OH WHY OH WHY

BUT THE ANGEL SAID

WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HIM AMONG THE DEAD

HE LIVES

AWAY THEY SPUN LIKE AUTUMN LEAVES IN FULL RUN

HE LIVES THEY CRIED

HE LIVES THE WIND REPLIED

RAIN AND TEARS MIXED UPON THEIR FACE

THEY WERE GATHERED NOW IN THE UPPER ROOM

ALL KNEW THE WORDS WERE TRUE

THE TOMB WAS EMPTY

TELL US AGAIN WHAT THE YOUNG MAN SAID

AGAIN AND AGAIN THE WORDS WERE SAID

TILL JOHN STOOD UP

HERE MOTHER TAKE MY CLOAK

LET ME HOLD YOUR HANDS TO MAKE THEM WARM

YOU ARE WET THROUGH

THEN PETER AND THE OTHERS

WINDED BY THEIR RUN TO SEE

HAD DONE THE SAME

FOR THE OTHER WOMEN

THEY SAT THERE NOW IN A RING

HOLDING HANDS

STARING LAUGHING GIVING TAKING STRENGTH

AND WARMTH

TILL JESUS STOOD IN THE MIDST OF THEM

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SAD SONG

I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG

PERHAPS A WHISTLE BY THE GRAVEYARD SONG

A DEFIANT IN YOUR FACE SONG

A FRIGHTENED SONG

I HOPE NOT A DUMB SONG

CLOUDED BY PAIN

MEDICINE

OR MIND

BUT I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG

I’VE BEEN SICK AGAIN

LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

IT CAUGHT ME UNAWARES

BUT I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG

MY LITTLE MALADY

COMPARED TO THE WORLD’S PAIN

I DO NOT FIND THAT SUFFERING IS ENNOBLING

SO MUCH OF IT IS UNDESERVED

I DO NOT THINK THAT GOD SENDS PAIN

SO MUCH IS HUMAN CAUSED

GOD ASKS US TO BRING HIS KINGDOM HERE

A POETIC GESTURE

OR DID HE MEAN IT

AND IF HE MEANT IT

ARE WE NOT TASKED TO ELIMINATE PAIN

AT TREBLINKA

THEY USED GEESE

TO MASK THE SOUND OF SUFFERING

HAVE WE GONE MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT

TO MAKE THE WORLD

THE WAY GOD WANTS IT

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SALT

SALT IS PURE

IF IT LOSES ITS FLAVOR

IT’S NOT THE SALT

BUT FOREIGN MATTER

WHICH IS WHAT JESUS SAYS

BE IN THE WORLD

BUT NOT OF IT

SALT ADDS FLAVOR TO FOOD

LIKE A CHRISTIAN

SHOULD AFFECT

HIS SURROUNDINGS

SALT IS USED FOR HEALING

WHICH IS A PRIMARY TASK

FOR A CHRISTIAN

SALT IS USED

TO PREVENT FOOD FROM GOING BAD

IT’S AN ACTIVE MINERAL

SO SHOULD WE

SALT WAS USED AS A SALARY

REMINDING US

THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

THE WAGES OF GOODNESS

IS LIFE EVERLASTING

SALT HAS BEEN USED IN BURIAL RITES

A REMINDER

OF THE GREAT PRICE

CHRIST PAID

SALT IS USED IN SOME RITES AT BAPTISM

AS A SIGN OF PRESERVING THE SOUL FROM SIN

SALT

SO GREAT A THING

SO SMALL A THING

LIKE GOD AND ME

COME FLAVOR MY LIFE

WITH YOUR SWEETNESS

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AN UPRIGHT WOMAN

SHE MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A SINNER

OR HER PARENTS WERE

TO HAVE THE WEIGHT OF GUILT

TURN HER INTO A QUESTION MARK

HERE SHE COMES

GIVING THIS PLACE OF WORSHIP A BAD NAME

SINNERS DON’T BELONG IN CHURCH

RESPECTABLE PEOPLE DO

HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE

THIS ITINERANT PREACHER

DOES HE COME TO SEE ME

NO

BUT HANG OUT WITH RIFF-RAFF AND DREGS

HE SEES HER

IT’S LIKE A LOVE STORY

HE GOES TO HER

TALK TO HER

SHE LIFTS HER HEAD TO ANSWER HIM

HER HEAD KEEPS RISING

HER BACK UNBENDS

SACRILEGE I THE LEADER CRY

SACRILEGE

HE’S HEALED ON THE SABBATH

A WOMAN TO BOOT

SACRILEGE

JESUS ANSWERED

HOW MANY OF YOU WATERED YOUR STOCK TODAY

SILENCE

HOW MANY OF YOU FED YOUR STOCK TODAY

SILENCE

YOU WERE ALLOWED

BECAUSE ANIMALS SHOULD NOT SUFFER

HOW MUCH MORE THIS DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM

NOT SUFFER

THE POWERFUL

WHO HAD SERVANTS TO DO THE WORK

WERE HUMBLED

THE POOR AND THE POWERLESS

HID SMILES BEHIND THEIR HANDS

THE WOMAN ENJOYED THE VIEW

ERECT

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SHIVA

WHY RABBI WHY

A DAMAGED

UNUSABLE TORAH

IS BURIED IN THE EARTH

REVERENTLY

BEFITTING THE HOLY PURPOSE

IT ONCE SERVED

A DEAD BODY DESERVES THE SAME RESPECT

IT HOUSED THE SOUL

IT SHOULD BE GIVEN A RITUAL BATH

BECAUSE

CLEAN AND PURE

IT CAME INTO THIS WORLD

SO CLEAN AND PURE IT SHOULD LEAVE

WE SIT SHIVA

FOR SEVEN DAYS

BECAUSE JOSEPH

MOURNED HIS FATHER

SEVEN DAYS

AND JOB’S FRIENDS

IN THE FACE OF HIS GRIEF

WERE SILENT

FOR SEVEN DAYS

UNTIL HE SPOKE

OH THAT I MIGHT NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN

THAN TO SUFFER SUCH PAIN

WE SIT LOW

BECAUSE WE BEEN BROUGHT LOW BY DEATH

AND TO BE NEAR THE BODY

WHICH IS IN THE EARTH

WE ARE AN ANCIENT PEOPLE

MANY OF OUR FOLKWAYS

ARE BURIED IN HISTORY

MYSTERY

OR MYTH

WE BRING STONES

TO THE GRAVE SITE

BECAUSE THE TIME WAS

WHEN THE DEAD WERE COVERED WITH ROCK

TO PREVENT DESECRATION

OR MAYBE

JUST TO SHOW WE WERE THERE

MANY OF LIFE’S EVENTS

ARE COVERED WITH PRAYER

FROM OUR GOING OUT

AND COMING BACK

AND IN BETWEEN

LIFE IS SACRED

AND DEATH

IS THE SOLVER OF RIDDLES

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SIMON THE PHARISEE

WHAT DID HE EXPECT

THIS ITINERANT PREACHER

WHAT DID HE EXPECT

TO BE TREATED LIKE EQUALS

LIKE ANOTHER OF THE PHARISEES

WHAT DID HE EXPECT

I INVITED HIM TO A MEAL

LORD KNOWS HE LOOKED LIKE HE NEEDED ONE

AT FIRST

ALL WAS

AS IT SHOULD BE

HE ATE

AND ENJOYED HIS MEAL

IT WAS THE WOMAN

THAT STARTED THE RUCKUS

WOMEN ARE GOOD FOR TWO THINGS

HOUSE KEEPING AND BED

WHICH IS HOW SHE GOT IN UNANNOUNCED

THEN SHE

WHO UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS I WOULD ENJOY

EMBARRASSED HERSELF AND ME

BY POURING PERFUME OVER HIS FEET

COVERING THEM WITH TEARS

DRYING THEM WITH HER HAIR

SCANDALOUS

TO LET SUCH A WOMAN

APPROACH YOU IN A PUBLIC PLACE

TOUCH YOU

CONTAMINATION

AND HE PURPORTING TO SPEAK FOR GOD

HAS GOD DESCENDED TO THE PIGSTY LEVEL

THEN HE HAD THE AUDACITY

TO GIVE ME A LESSON ON MANNERS

AND A PARABLE ON BIG AND SMALL FORGIVENESS

THEN TO CAP IT ALL

TO TELL HER

HER SINS WERE FORGIVEN

IT’S TOO EASY

BUT HE’S A DREAMER

LIKE ALL THE OTHER REFORMERS

WHAT’S SHE GOING TO DO NOW

A WOMAN

WITHOUT A MAN

OR A TRADE

WHAT A USELESS PIECE OF BAGGAGE

PERHAPS HE’LL TAKE HER WITH HIM

I HEAR HE HAS A HAREM

AS FOR THE PARABLE

FORGIVE A DEBT

NEVER

GRIND THEM DOWN

MAKE THEM PAY

GOD REWARDS THE WEALTHY

THE POOR HE HAS NO USE FOR

WHO KEEPS THE TEMPLE

THE WIDOWS MITE

WELL I’VE HAD MY CURIOSITY SATED

I CAN’T WAIT TO TELL THE BOYS AT THE CLUB

IT COST ME A MEAL AND AN EVENING

IT’LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING

IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME

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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

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