SALMAGUNDI

SALMAGUNDI

BY 

FRANK A VOLLMER

WATERFALL

BY WATER BEGAN

THE SIFTING DOWN FOR EONS OF THE SILT

OF DYING CREATURES AND THE LAND

TRANSFORMED BY HEAT AND PRESSURE INTO STONE

BY UPHEAVAL THRUST TO MOUNTAIN FORM

THEN DOWN THE WATERS RAN

CUTTING THROUGH MOUNTAIN

THROUGH STONE

WILDLY THE WATERS RUN

TO DROP OFF A CLIFF AND PLUNGE INTO A POOL

TO PASS A BILLION YEARS OF STONE WITHIN ITS PLUNGE

RACING          RUNNING          SWIRLING           FROTHING

LIVING WATER           CUP OF STONE

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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

AND 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

AND 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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ZACCHAEUS

IT WASN’T THAT HE LACKED FOR FRIENDS

HE HAD THE SUMMER LEAF KIND

THAT DISAPPEARED IN WINTER

WHEN THE MONEY WAS GONE

BUT TRUE FRIENDS

NO

HE’D DONE IT TO HIMSELF

BY WORKING FOR THE OCCUPATION FORCES

THOUGHT OF A TRAITOR BY JEWS

AS A LACKEY BY ROMANS

HE’D GROWN RICH

AS A TAX COLLECTOR

PRIMARILY FROM THE ROAD TOLLS

JERICHO WAS A HUB OF TRADE

HE LIVED WELL

BUT EMPTY

HE HAD MUCH

BUT NOTHING

HE WAS A DRY SPONGE

WAITING FOR WATER

AND JESUS WAS COMING

TO THE CROWD SURROUNDING HIM

ZACCHAEUS

WAS A NONENTITY

AND BEING SHORT

NO MATTER HOW HIGH HE JUMPED

HE COULDN’T SEE

BUT JESUS WAS COMING

SO HE CLIMBED A SYCAMORE TREE

TO SEE

NOW A SYCAMORE TREE

IN THE ORIENT

IS A FIG MULBERRY

AND JESUS CHECKING THE TREE FOR FRUIT

SAW ZACCHAEUS

COME DOWN I WILL DINE WITH YOU

AT THE MEAL HE SAID

IF I HAVE DEFRAUDED ANYONE

I WILL MAKE RESTITUTION

FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT

WHICH WAS MORE THAN JEWISH LAW REQUIRED

THE MOB SAID

HE EATS WITH SINNERS

BUT HE SAID

REJOICE

THAT A SON OF ABRAHAM

WHO WAS LOST

HAS BEEN SAVED

SOME SAY ZACCHAEUS

WAS SURNAMED MATTHIAS

BY THE APOSTLES

AND REPLACED

JUDAS ISCARIOT

IT MAY BE TRUE

BUT THIS IS TRUE

NO MATTER HOW SMALL

IGNOBLE

 INSIGNIFICANT 

YOU THINK YOU ARE

GOD WILL FIND YOU

AND WHEN HE FINDS YOU

HE WOULD LOVE

TO COME TO YOUR TABLE

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WRESTLING WITH GOD

WRESTLING WITH GOD IS NOT A SIN

BUT A TIME HONORED EVENT

AS THAT TIME

WHEN A SYROPHOENICIAN WOMAN

SAID TO JESUS

HEAL MY CHILD

HE SAID

BECAUSE SHE WAS A GENTILE

AND A PAGAN

IT IS NOT RIGHT

TO TAKE THE CHILDREN'S FOOD

AND THROW IT TO THE DOGS

SHE REBUFFED HIM SAYING

EVEN THE DOGS

EAT THE CHILDREN'S CRUMBS

YOU CAN SEE HIM SMILING

HE'D BEEN BESTED IN AN ARGUMENT

AND HE REPLIED GENTLY

GO

YOUR CHILD IS HEALED

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WHEN JESUS SAID

WHEN JESUS SAID

YOU HAVE THE POOR

ALWAYS WITH YOU

HE DIDN’T MEAN IT AS AN EXCUSE

TO DO NOTHING

BUT RATHER A REASON

FOR HIS DEATH

RATHER TO DESCRIBE

A THORN

IN THE BODY MYSTIC

THE POOR YOU HAVE ALWAYS WITH YOU

A SAD COMMENT ON HIS DEATH

THIS IS NOT THE WORLD GOD WANTS

YOUR KINGDOM COME

YOUR WILL BE DONE

ON EARTH

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

ARE WE DOING GOD’S WILL

ARE WE SAYING

GOD’S WILL IS IMPOSSIBLE

ARE WE SAYING

GOD HAS GIVEN US

AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK

AN IMPOSSIBLE PRAYER

THE LAST WORDS CHRIST HEARD

HANGING ON THE CROSS

WERE DREAMER

OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY

WERE THEY TRUE

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WANDERING THOUGHTS

ONE OF THE LASTING IMPRESSIONS I HAVE

OF THE HOLOCAUST

IS A SHORT FILM

OF A YOUNG BOY

SITTING ON A TABLE

SHAKING

SHIVERING

HE WAS BEING SUBJECTED

TO REPEATED BLOWS

ON THE HEAD

TO STUDY THEIR EFFECTS

HE WAS A JEW

A NON-PERSON

USELESS AS A STONE

THROWN IN A LAKE

RINDS OF MELON

THROWN IN THE GARBAGE

TOOLS TO BE USED

TILL THEY BREAK

THEN DISCARDED

IT WOULD BE NICE TO THINK

THAT IT HAPPENED

IN ANOTHER PLACE

IN ANOTHER TIME

BUT IT’S HAPPENING NOW

AND HAS HAPPENED NOW

WHILE DIVES DINES

LAZARUS DIES

LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER

A TOY OF THE WIND

PLAYED WITH

THEN FORGOTTEN

WHEN WILL YOU COME

LORD JESUS

WHEN WILL YOU COME

TO RESCUE US FROM OURSELVES

TO GIVE DIGNITY TO DIRT

WATER TO DRY LAND

VISION TO THE BLIND

DREAMS TO THE DUNG HEAP

AWARENESS OF THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

AND A HELPING HAND

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WASTED

THE STORY OF LUTHER

AND THE APPLE TREE

IS PROBABLY

apocryphal

THE STORY THAT GOES

WHEN ASKED

WHAT WOULD YOU DO

IF THE WORLD

SHOULD END TOMORROW

HE REPLIED

I’D PLANT AN APPLE TREE

TODAY

BECAUSE

THAT’S ALL WE HAVE

TODAY

TOMORROW

EVEN IN THE BEST OT TIMES

IS TOO UNCERTAIN

I’M REMINDED

OF THE SAYING

IN EPHESIANS

If angry

beware of sinning

Let not your irritation last

until the sun goes down

GOOD ADVICE

WE ALL SHOULD FOLLOW

ESPECIALLY ME

i rue the times

i went to bed angry

wasting hours

days

and beyond

wasted hours

over many times

nothing more valuable

than a bucket of warm spit

wasted hours

not to say

that sometimes

the anger

was not justified

but when it came to the part

where it consumed me completely

then it won

and i was twice defeated

i rue the wasted hours

PARTICULARLY now

when my hours are limited

they do not run on

as in my youth

forever

age has given me wisdom

i never had before

i’m in my sunset years

and i hope

my sunset

is beautiful

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WHAT DID YOU GO OUT TO SEE

THE BAPTISM JESUS RECEIVED

WAS NOT THE SAME AS THAT BAPTISM

WE RECEIVED

WHEN MOST OF US WERE CHILDREN

BAPTISM WAS RESERVED IN THE JEWISH FAITH

FOR THOSE

NOT BORN JEWS

BUT CONVERTING

THOSE SINFUL PEOPLE

NOT BORN A JEW

THE JEW BELIEVED

THAT BEING A SON OF ABRAHAM

HE WAS ASSURED OF GOD'S SALVATION

AS LONG AS HE FOLLOWED THE LAW

HE WAS ASSURED OF GOD'S SALVATION

SO HE HAD NO NEED FOR RITUAL CLEANING

BUT THERE WAS A MOVEMENT IN JUDEA

IN JESUS TIME

THAT THE NATION HAD LOST THEIR PRIVILEGED STATUS

THE NATION HAD BEEN CONQUERED BY ROME

THE PEOPLE

WERE DESPERATELY WAITING

FOR THE MESSIAH

TO FREE THE LAND

THEY FELT THAT GOD WAS ANGRY WITH THEM

ANGRY WITH THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR LIFESTYLE

THEY FELT

THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A CHANGE

THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A CLEANSING

THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR REPENTING

SO THERE WENT OUT INTO THE LAND

THOSE CALLING FOR CHANGE

SOME WERE CALLING FOR POLITICAL CHANGE

OTHERS LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE ESSENES

WERE CALLING FOR MORAL CHANGE

AND THE SYMBOL OF THAT CHANGE

WAS THE WHOLE BODY PLUNGING

OF A PERSON INTO A LAKE OR RIVER

BUT THE CANDIDATE HAD FIRST TO STATE

HE WAS SORRY FOR HIS SINS

AND WOULD TRY TO AMEND HIS LIFE

 JOHN'S MESSAGE OF REPENT

AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE

WAS BEARING FRUIT

MANY WERE FLOCKING TO JOHN

FOR REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM

UNDERLYING THIS MOVEMENT

WAS THE THOUGHT

THAT IF THEY CHANGED THEIR LIVES

THE MESSIAH WOULD COME

BUT THEY WANTED A POLITICAL MESSIAH

WHAT THEY WOULD GET

WAS A SERVANT

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YHWH

EHYEH ASHER EHYEH

SO SAID THE VOICE FROM THE BURNING BUSH

I AM WHAT I AM

EHYEH ASHER EHYEH

A CELESTIAL WAY OF SAYING

NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

IN BIBLE TIMES

TO KNOW A NAME

GAVE THE KNOWER POWER

OVER THE KNOWN

A BIBLICAL FORM OF RUMPELSTILTSKIN

BUT GOD REFUSED TO PLAY THE GAME

HE WOULD NOT BE CONTROLLED

EHYEH ASHER EHYEH

BUT MEN

CONTINUE TO SPEAK

IN GOD’S NAME

TELLING US

WHO WE MAY HATE

 WHO WE MAY LOVE

WHO MAY LIVE

 WHO MAY DIE

WHO IS SLAVE

 WHO IS FREE

WHO MAY EAT

WHO MAY HUNGER

WHO IS WORTHY

WHO IS NOT

WHO IS SAVED

WHO IS LOST

BUT GOD SAYS

DO NOT COME NEAR ME

WITH DIRTY HANDS

DIRTY FROM WAR

GORE AND HUNGER

AND DIRTY

FEET

FROM DOWNTRODDING THE POOR

EHYEH ASHER EHYEH

I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE

I WILL FREE YOU

EVEN IF IT MEANS

PARTING THE SEA

YOU MAY PUT ME IN A TENT

OR TEMPLE

BUT I’LL BE THERE

AND EVERYWHERE

I SAY IT

NOT TO FRIGHTEN YOU

BUT TO GIVE YOU PEACE

AND IF YOU WILL

I’LL GATHER YOU

UNDER MY WINGS

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You are always on their lips 

but far from their hearts.

Jer. 12:2b

I IT WOULD BE NICE

IF FAULTFINDERS

LIKE MYSELF

WERE FAULTLESS

BUT I MISS THE MARK OFTEN

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS

THAT LOOM LARGER THAN MY FAILINGS

AMONG WHICH

ANY CHILD WHO IS STARVING

JOBS

AT DECENT WAGES

AND CONDITIONS

POLITICIANS WHO PRATE MORALITY

LIKE A PARROT

WITH AS MUCH SENSE

TAXES ON THE POOR

WHILE THE RICH PAY LITTLE

A MAN JUDGED BY RACE OR RELIGION

CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF THESE

CAN WE NOT HONOR HIS DEATH

BY DEALING WITH THEM

JUSTLY

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THOUGHTS OF 9-11 ON CHRISTMAS MORNING

WHEN THE STORIES FELL

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

UNTOLD

UNSUNG THE SONG

THAT WAS YET TO BE SUNG

UNWOVEN THE LIFE TO BE LED

AND IN THE SILENCE

THAT FOLLOWED THE ROAR

THE ECHO OF NAMES

MY LAI

AUSCHWITZ

BIAFRA

SUDAN

THE STARVING MOTHER

SUCKLING HER CHILD

WITH A TIT GONE DRY

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

AGAINST A TIT

GONE DRY

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

BY GUNFIRE'S RHYTHMIC CHATTER

ALL IS CALM

ALL IS BRIGHT

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR YOU HERE

HEROD'S MEN WILL SEARCH YOU DOWN

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

IN THE BLEAK MID WINTER

DO NOT COME

THE LULLABY

OF NAMES CONTINUES

JIM CROW

BIRMINGHAM

SELMA

MARTIN LUTHER KING

COME ALL YE FAITHFUL COME

PASSING HOMELESS IN THE STREETS

SHUT THE INN

THEY CANNOT COME IN

THEY HAVE NOT HEARD THE ANGELS SING

WE STAND AROUND AN EMPTY CRIB

WONDERING WHERE THE BABY IS

HE IS NOT HERE

HE IS RESTING ON HIS MOTHER'S BREAST

AGAINST A TIT GONE DRY

HAVE I NOT SUNG THIS SONG BEFORE

BUT NEVER WITH SUCH MIXED EMOTIONS

OH COME LORD JESUS

FOR WITHOUT YOU

THERE IS NO JOY AT ALL

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR SO MANY

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR MYSELF

HOW SHALL I TURN SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

BUT CHRIST IS BORN AGAIN

LIKE WHEAT THAT SPRINGIEST GREEN

LIKE A ROSE THAT BLOOMS IN WINTER

ON A TENDER BOUGH

I SHALL NAME A NEW NAME

FORGIVENESS

AND I SHALL SING TO THE HUNGRY CHILD

A WORD THAT WILL NOURISH HIM

FOR TODAY

I WILL TRY TO FORGIVE MY ENEMY

AS YOU HAVE FORGIVEN ME

AND WHEN I FALTER

LET ME HEAR

THE WORDS OF THE LULLABY

HUNGER

POVERTY

BIGOTRY

COME LORD JESUS

COME AGAIN

BRING THE WHEAT

AND GENTLE RAIN

COME AGAIN

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