Monday, December 22, 2014

CLOP

 
 
CLOP
 
 
 
THROUGH THE STREETS
OUTSIDE MY MIND
ECHOED THE SOUND
OF A DONKEY WALKING
 
AND THE CRY
NOW HOARSE
ROOMS
ANY ROOMS
MY WIFE IS WITH CHILD
ROOMS
ANY ROOMS
 
UNTIL A GOOD MIDWIFE
TOLD HER HUSBAND
WHAT HE THOUGHT
SO HE OPENED THE BARN
 
NOT MUCH
BUT THE ANIMALS KEEP IT WARM
THE STRAW IS SOFT
 
THE GOOD MIDWIFE SAW THE SIGNS
SHOOED THE MEN OUT
TO DO MEN USELESS THINGS
 
THEN MARY AND HER
DID THE AGELESS BALLET
OF BRINGING A CHILD INTO THE WORLD
OF BRINGING GOD INTO THE WORLD
 
FINDING A HORSE BLANKET
IT WAS ALL SHE HAD
SHE TOLD THE NUMB FATHER
KEEP THEM WARM
 
THEN PATTING
THE NEW MOTHER
ON THE CHEEK
SHE SAID
YOU DID GOOD GIRL
PROUD OF YOU
 
THEN WHILE MARY AND THE BABY SLEPT
JOSEPH KEPT GUARD
AS HE WOULD
THE REST OF HIS LIFE
 
JOSEPH
JOSEPH
HUSBAND
PSEUDO FATHER
 
FAITHFUL JOSEPH
CARING MIDWIFE
BRIMMING WITH PROMISE MARY
 
HOW LONG WILL I STAY
IN MY QUARTERS SAFE
UNINVOLVED
WHILE JOSEPH
CRIES HIMSELF HOARSE
 
HOW LONG WILL I HEAR THE DONKEY’S CLOP
AND NOT CARE
 


Sunday, December 14, 2014

BIRTH



BIRTH


BIRTH
joseph-mary snowstorm
THERE WASN’T A GOOD CHOICE
FOR A NEAR TERM WOMAN
SHANK’S MARE
OR DONKEY
BUT BETHLEHEM MUST BE ATTAINED
BETHLEHEM
AKA
HOUSE OF BREAD
BEING LED BY A MAN
WHOSE CHILD THIS WASN’T
TESTING THE VERY ROOT OF HIS MANHOOD
HE LOVED HER
HE’D HEARD THE ANGEL
BUT STILL A SENSE OF UNCERTAIN
CHURNED IN HIS GUT
DELIVERING GOD IS NEVER AN EASY TASK
WHO SHALL CLEAR THE MOUNTAINS
TO MAKE THE ROAD PLANE
WHO SHALL FILL THE VALLEYS
TO MAKE THE ROAD PLANE
WHO SHALL PATROL THE HIGHWAY
TO PROTECT HER FROM BRIGANDS
WHO SHALL REMIND JOSEPH OF HER LOVE
TO SOOTHE HIS ACHING HEART
ONWARD SHE COMES
BRIMMING WITH PROMISE
ONWARD SHE COMES
THE CHILD LEAPING
IN ANTICIPATION
EAGER TO BE ONE OF US
WILL YOU GIVE THEM SHELTER
WILL YOU LET HER BIRTH IN YOUR HEART
WILL YOU LET THE BABY BE BORN IN YOUR HEART
THEN LIVE AS ONE IN WHOM GOD HAS BEEN BORN
FRANK A VOLLMER

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

BEFORE



BEFORE


BEFORE THE COSMIC GASES

SOLIDIFIED INTO MATTER

FORMING PLANETS AND STARS


BEFORE THE SPIRIT BROODED OVER THE ABYSS

BEFORE THE ABYSS

BEFORE THE PRIMORDIAL CHAOS OF BEGINNING

BEFORE BEFORE


GOD THOUGHT


(WE GIVE HIM HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS

TO UNDERSTAND HIM)


GOD THOUGHT


IF I MAKE A WORLD

IT WILL BE FLAWED

I WANT LOVE

NOT SUBSERVIENCE


HE GAVE US LIFE

HE CALLED US BY NAME

WE ARE AS PRECIOUS TO HIM

AS A BABY IN A MANGER


SO OFTEN HAVE I PAID HIM BACK

WITH SHAMEFUL DEEDS

SO OFTEN HAVE SOLD MY BIRTHRIGHT

FOR A TRINKET


HE CREATED TIME

TO CALL US BACK

TIME AND AGAIN

TO THE BEGINNING POINT

WHERE WE DWELT IN GOD’S MIND

WHERE OUR FUTURE HOME IS


ENTRANCE TO IT

HAS BEEN PAID

BY A BABY

ON PRICKLY STRAW

FRANK A VOLLMER



Tuesday, December 2, 2014

WE WERE CELLMATES


WE WERE CELLMATES
TWO DESPERADOES
ARRESTED FOR WAR PROTEST
AND PEACE MARCH
MOTHERS HIDE YOUR DAUGHTERS
HE WAS AN INDIAN FROM INDIA
I WAS A STREET WISE CITY KID
BOTH OF US IN COLLEGE
WE TALKED ABOUT SCHOOL
GIRLS
PHILOSOPHY
HISTORY
DID I MENTION GIRLS
FINALLY
THE CONVERSATION PETERING OUT
I SAID
WOULD YOU MIND A QUESTION ABOUT RELIGION
SHOOT HE SAID
AS A HINDHU
DO YOU REALLY BELIVE
ONE OF YOUR GODS HAS AN ELEPHANT HEAD
OR IN REINCARNATION
OR EYES IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR FORHEAD
OR MANY ARMS
ALL OF IT SEEMS EXOTIC
HE ANSWERED
AS LONG AS YOU ANSWER A QUESTION OF MINE
SURE I SAID
DO YOU BELIVE
THAT YOUR GOD MADE A VIGIN PREGNANT
THAT BABY LIVED TO MANHOOD
DIED HORRIBLY
CAME BACK TO LIFE
AND BECAUSE OF THAT
 ALL YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN
SURE
IT’S TRUE
ANY MORE TRUE THAN WHAT I BELIEVE
ANY MORE STRANGE
AT THAT POINT
POINT
COUNTERPOINT
WE FELL ASLEEP
MINE WAS TROUBLED
QUESTIONS
KEPT RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD
IS THE WORLD ANY BETTER
BECAUSE I AM A CHRISTIAN
BY WHAT RIGHT DOES CHRISTIANITY
CLAIM DOMINANCE
IS IT BECAUSE EVERY ACT
HAS BEEN SACRED
OR WORD
HOLY
HAS THERE NOT BEEN MANY DARK PAGES
DARK AGES
BUT CLOSER TO HOME
HAS MY EVERY ACT
WORD
BEEN WORTHY OF FAITH
JESUS IS MY FAVORITE HOLY MAN
I HAVE NO DESIRE TO CHANGE
BUT IS MY LIFE WORTHY OF HIM
IF THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
IS MY LIFE WORTHY OF HIM
I DON’T BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION
BUT IN AN INCARNATE GOD
WHO RESCUED ME FROM SIN
MAY MY LIFE BE WORTHY OF HIM
HIS SACRIFICE
FRANK A VOLLMER