PATCHES

PATCHES

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER



WHEELCHAIR

TODAY THE WHEEL CAME OFF MY WHEELCHAIR
IMAGINE THAT
I HAD A FLAT
ON LIFE’S HIGHWAY

NOT REALLY
THE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM
NOT A SIN
BUT AN INCONVENIENCE

WE HAD WANTED TOO SEE THE OCEAN
AND WE DID
I LEANING BACK
 TO ONE SIDE FOR BALANCE
SO THAT THE RIM WAS OFF THE GROUND

WE LAUGHED
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO
LEANING BACK AND TO THE SIDE
I MUST HAVE LOOKED
MORE CRIPPLED THAN I AM

PEOPLE OFFERED TO HELP
THE INATE GOODNESS OF MAN
THAT REFLECTS HIS CREATOR

I GOT OFF AND WALKED
WHICH BETTER BALANCED THE CHAIR
SAW THE OCEAN
WHICH ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME
TO BE CARRYING MESSAGES
FROM A DISTANT PLACE
MESSAGES WHICH RESONATE
WITH MESSAGES WRITTEN IN MY HEART

I SHALL REMEMBER
THE DAY THE WHEELCHAIR BROKE
 THE GOODNESS OF PEOPLE

I SHALL REMEMBER OUR LAUGHTER
WHICH PERMEATES OUR LIVES
THE ICE CREAM WE HAD GOING HOME
THE MESSAGE
TASTE AND SEE
THE LORD IS GOOD

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Poppies

POPPIES

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

 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
 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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RAINBOWS


EACH MAN SEES HIS OWN RAINBOW
BASED ON THE OBSERVER’S POSITION
AND THE PLACE OF THE SUN

ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING PERHAPS
THAT GOD WANTS TO HAVE PEACE SO MUCH
HE GIVES IT TO EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY

THE BOW OF THE RAINBOW IS AWAY FROM EARTH
PROTECTING THE ONE BENEATH

FANTASY PERHAPS
BUT NOT TOO FAR FROM THE POETRY THAT IS GOD

PEACE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WAR
LOVE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HATE
WHERE DOGMA BRINGS DEATH
CAN WE NOT SAY WITH ASSURANCE
WE'VE GOT IT WRONG

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Sand

SAND


SITTING ON THE BEACH
SIFTING SAND FROM MY HAND
WATCHING THE WIND TAKE IT AWAY
MAKING NEW CONTOURS ON THE SHORE
ALWAYS RESTLESS
ALWAYS MOVING

I MAKE A MARK IN THE SAND
BUT THE WIND COMES
 IT IS NO MORE
ITS PLACE IS GONE FROM MEMORY

THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT CHOOSES
NO ONE KNOWS
WHERE IT COMES FROM
OR WHERE IT GOES

I LOOK AT THE SAND AND SEA
 THINK
WHO HAS GATHERED UP THE WIND
IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HANDS

WHO HAS WRAPPED UP THE WATERS
IN HIS CLOAK

WHO HAS ESTABLISHED
ALL THE ENDS
OF THE EARTH

WHAT IS HIS NAME,
 THE NAME OF HIS SON

TELL ME IF YOU KNOW

THE SAND IS BLOWING WHERE IT WILL
THE OCEAN IS SAFELY IN ITS PLACE
AND I
INSIGNIFICANT
AS A GRAIN OF SAND
GOING WHERE THE WIND WILL TAKE ME
CONTENT
THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE
OF HIS OWN

FRANK A VOLLMER 

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Bert

BERT

BERT SHE CALLS ME
MY CAT I MEAN
SHE CALLS ME BERT
MY ORANGE FURRED TABBY
MY CHANGEABLE ORANGE FURRED TABBY
WHEN I WANT TO HOLD HER
SHE'S RELUCTANT
BUT OPEN MY MUSIC BAG
SHE'S IN IT
OPEN MY DESK DRAWER
SHE HAS TO CHECK IT OUT
GO SHOELESS
SHE'S BITING MY TOES
TAKE A NAP
SHE SITS ON MY HEAD
SHE CALLS ME BERT
DUMB CAT
ONLY REASON I KEEP HER
IS BECAUSE I LIKE HER
I LIKE TO HEAR HER MOTOR RUN
WHEN SHE'S CONTENT
I LIKE THE LOOK IN HER EYES
WHEN SHE'S SITTING IN THE WINDOW
WAITING TO COME IN
I CALL HER TABBY
THE KIDS CALL HER PUSSYFOOT
WE COULD CALL HER ESMERELDA
SHE DOESN'T COME ANYWAY
BUT IF I RATTLE A FOOD BOX
SHE CALLS ME BERT
NOW SHE'S REGAL POISED AND COOL
NOW SHE'S TRYING TO CATCH HER TAIL
NOW SHE THINKS MY BEARD'S A KITTEN
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KISSED
BY A ROUGH TONGUED CAT
DUMB CAT
SHE'S SLEEPING IN MY CHAIR
SHE'S DRINKING FROM THE FISH TANK
SHE'S FALLING IN THE BATHTUB
SHE'S SHARPENING HER CLAWS
SHE'S LOCKED IN A CLOSET
SHE'S STRANDED IN A TREE
SHE'S A BOTHER AND A NUISANCE
BUT SHE'S KIND OF CUTE TO ME
BESIDES
SHE CALLS ME BERT

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The Sign

THE SIGN

THE SIGN SWUNG GENTLY IN THE BREEZE
SINGING A SOFT SONG TO ITSELF
UNLESS HE TRIED HE DIDN’T HEAR IT
BUT HE KNEW WHAT IT SAID
WITH PRIDE
IT SAID
JESUS
SON OF JOSEPH
MAKER OF EASY YOKES

GIVE US A SIGN
THAT WE MIGHT BELIEVE IN YOU
GIVE US A SIGN
A SHOW OF FORCE
A REGAL DISPLAY OF POWER
GIVE US A SIGN
I GIVE YOU THE YOKE
WORN RIGHT IT WILL NOT CHAFE

WHEN JOB
FINALLY
QUESTIONS
GOD

GOD ANSWERS BY TELLING HIM
HOW POWERFUL HE IS

NOT A SATISFACTORY ANSWER
FOR ONE WHO FINDS
HIS SUFFERING MEANINGLESS

NO
IF I MUST CHOOSE
BETWEEN A GOD WHO IS TRIUMPHANT
AND POWERFUL
OR A CARPENTER
WHO WILL MAKE A YOKE
COMFORTABLE
FOR A DUMB OX

I CHOOSE THE CARPENTER

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The Dump

THE DUMP


I PROBABLY
WON'T BE COMING THIS WAY
AGAIN
TO THE DUMP I MEAN
WHERE ONE WENT
FOUND TREASURES
TO TAKE HOME
OR LEFT THEM
FOR ANOTHER

NOT A BAD WAY OF LIFE
GETTING
 LEAVING
FAVORS

BUT I WON'T BE COMING THIS WAY AGAIN
THE SEA HAS CHANGED
IT NOW RUNS
IN A NEW DIRECTION
BROUGHT ON BY AGE
HEALTH
 NEW VISIONS

PERHAPS IN THIS NEW VISION
I SHALL BE ABLE
TO FIND AND LEAVE TREASURE
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TRADITION CONTINUE

THAT THINGS
NOT QUITE NEW
OR SERVICEABLE
WOULD BE MADE WHOLE
NOT PERFECT
BUT FUNCTIONING

GOODBYE DUMP
I SHALL MISS YOU
BUT THERE'S A BIKE
WITHOUT A CHAIN
AND A WOBBLY TABLE

NO
NO NO
COME AWAY
IT'S ANOTHER TINKERS TIME
FOR YOU IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON
TO OTHER FIELDS
OF FOUND
AND LEFT
TREASURES

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Getting Younger

GETTING YOUNGER

I MUST BE GETTING YOUNGER
OR SENILE
OR BOTH

SHE
WHO NEVER WEARS WHITE
PAST LABOR DAY
WHO WATCHES OVER MY COMING
AND GOING
MOSTLY GOING

STANDING AT THE DOOR
WAITING TO INSPECT THE TROOPS
WATCHING CAREFULLY
LEST SOMEONE SLIP BY

THOSE COLORS
ARE NOT COMPLIMENTARY
SHE’LL SAY

I DIDN’T KNOW
THEY WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER
I’LL SAY

THEN WITH EYES LIFTED TO HEAVEN
SHE’LL EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN
SOME ARCANE RULING
ABOUT STRIPES AND PLAID
WARM AND COLD COLORS
THEIR SEASONAL LIMITATIONS

OY VEY
I THOUGHT THE BIBLE WAS HARD
WHO MADE THESE RULES
WHERE ARE THEY WRITTEN DOWN

PLUS FINGER GESTURES

IF I HAVE KETCHUP ON MY MOUSTACHE
I CAN MAKE A LUNAR LANDING
WITH A NAPKIN
BY WATCHING A FINGER ON HER FACE

IF MY FLY IS DOWN
WHICH SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN
I CAN TELL BY THE
GIVE ME STRENGTH LOOK
AS SHE STANDS IN FRONT OF ME
SO I CAN MODESTLY ADJUST

I THINK
SHE AND MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
ARE IN COMPETITION

THOUGH IF TRUTH BE TOLD
I PROBABLY NEED BOTH

WHEN WE GO TO THE DOCTORS
I ALWAYS TELL THE NURSE
TO CHECK THE CLEAN UNDERWEAR BOX
I HEAR ECHOES OF MY MOTHER
IT’S A REFLECTION ON ME

I MUST BE GETTING YOUNGER
BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO BED
WATCHED OVER BY GOD AND HER
I SLEEP LIKE A BABY

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