WRITINGS ON A WALL

IN A KINGDOM FAR AWAY           

WHERE MEN GO TO PONDER AND PRAY

THERE’S A SIGN ON THE WALL

THAT SAYS

PAIN IN A HUMAN IS AN INSULT TO GOD

PAIN IN A HUMAN THWARTS GOD’S PLAN

IT’S A WALL BEFORE WHICH

SEEKERS SIT PONDERING

WHAT ARE ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR ME

DOES IT HAVE IMPLICATIONS BEYOND ME

CAN I IGNORE IT OR SHOULD I

WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SELF INFLICTED PAIN

LIKE WORK

EXERCISE

PLAY

GIVING BIRTH

BUT PAIN INFLICTED BY OTHERS

WITH NO CONCERN

FOR THEIR VICTIMS

OR WORSE

ENJOYING IT

GOD WANTED WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIS CREATION

INFLICTED PAIN

GOES COUNTER TO HIS DREAM

FOR HIS CREATION

SO A COMMON CONSENT

OF THOSE STUDYING THE WALL WAS

HOW DOES MY CONDUCT AFFECT OTHERS

IF MY CONDUCT AFFECTS GOD’S PLAN

WHAT DROSS WILL I GAIN

TO HURT GOD’S PLAN

FRANK A VOLLMER

AN OBSERVATION

IN THE NINTH CENTURY

A VIKING

WAS HEARD TO SAY

THESE CHRISTIANS

HONOR THEIR GOD

BY BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE

HAS BEEN MARRED BY THESE FEELINGS

CHRIST

WHO CAME TO LIBERATE MANKIND

IS ENSLAVED

BY THOSE WHO CHOOSE

NOT TO BELIEVE IT

WE HAVE THE STYLITES

DESERT FATHERS

HAIRSHIRTS

SELF WHIPPING

READING EVERY DISASTER

AS GOD’S PUNISHMENT

AND WE DESERVE IT

WHAT KIND OF A LOVING GOD

DOES THIS PICTURE REPRESENT

WHAT DO ALL THESE PRACTICES

DO FOR THE COMMUNITY

DOES IT DRAW

AS THE VIKING SAYS

THEY SERVE THEIR GOD

BY BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

FRANK A VOLLMER

THE BUTCHER

THE COMMANDANT
TO AMUSE HIS TROOPS
PROMISED THEM ENTERTAINMENT
THAT WOULD INCLUDE BETTING

HE HAD IN CAPTIVITY
A KOSHER BUTCHER
WHOSE ONLY CRIME WAS BEING JEWISH

HE SAID TO THE BUTCHER
I SET BEFORE YOU TWO PLANS

ONE
I WILL HAVE MY TROOPS
 RAVISH YOUR DAUGHTERS
THEN HANG THEM SLOWLY
FROM A TREE
AFTER WHICH
I SHALL SHOOT YOU

THE OTHER PLAN IS
SLAY YOUR DAUGHTERS
AS YOU WOULD SLAY THE PASCHAL LAMB
DRAIN THEM OF THEIR BLOOD
THEN I WILL SHOOT YOU

THE STORY HAS NO ENDING
EITHER WAY
EVIL IS TRIUMPHANT

WHAT WAS GOD’S PLAN FOR THE BUTCHER

DOES NOT THIS SERENDIPITOUS SAYING
BETRAY CHRISTIANS
WHO HIDE BEHIND CHURCH WALLS

WHAT GOD WANTS
IS  FRUITFUL VINEYARD WORKERS
WILLING TO WORK FOR THE GOOD OF ALL

NOT RELIGIOUS SLAVES
MOTIVATED ONLY BY SELF

NOT FOR CHURCHES
WHO WANT PRESERVATION
LIKE GERMAN CHURCHES
IN FACE OF HITLER

WHAT GOD WANTS
IS MEN LIKE BONHOEFFER

WILLING TO QUESTION
ALL THAT DOESN’T MATCH GOD’S PLAN

EITHER WAY THE BUTCHER IS DEAD
BUT THE SMELL OF BLOOD
IS DISTASTEFUL
TO GOD’S NOSE

FRANK A VOLLMER

(Luke 24:36-48) WORK IN PROGRESS

RUNNING THROUGH SCRIPTURES LIKE A THEME

IS GOD’S CONCERN FOR THOSE SOCIETY HAVE PASSED BY

TIME AND TIME AGAIN

HE THUNDERS HIS CONCERN

TO THOSE WHO FORTUNE HAS BLESSED

HE HAS ONLY ONE WORD

DO NOT HOLD ON TO YOUR POSSESSIONS SO TIGHTLY

THEY HURT

 YOU OR YOUR NEIGHBOR

LUKE SAYS THAT CHRIST AFTER THE RESURRECTION

JESUS OPENED THE APOSTLE’S MINDS

SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES

THE SCRIPTURE THEY PREACHED FROM THAT MOMENT ON

WAS THE HEBREW BIBLE

THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE HAD NOT BEEN WRITTEN

THAT THE CHRISTIAN WAS TASKED

TO AID

ALLEVIATE

IF POSSIBLE REMOVE

THE BURDEN OF THE UNFORTUNATE

IT WASN’T A CHOICE

IT WENT ALONG WITH THE NAME

THAT THOSE WHO HAVE

BE CONCERNED WITH THOSE WHO HAVE NOT

NOT IN A CONDESCENDING WAY

BUT IN REAL BROTHERHOOD

SOME OF US WILLINGLY SHARE OUR BOUNTY

WITH THE UNFORTUNATE

FEW OF US SEEK THE SOURCE OF THEIR MALADY

AND WORK TO CORRECT IT

THE MESSAGE TO CHRISTIANS IS TWO HUNDRED YEARS OLD

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO

FRANK A VOLLMER

BEAUTY (Psalm 19)

FORGET IF YOU WILL
THE HAVOC CAUSED BY THE STORM
AND SEE A WORLD COATED IN CRYSTAL
TREES
SHRUBS
BUILDINGS
FENCES
ALL COATED IN CRYSTAL
AS THE WIND AND THE SUN COME UP
THE ICE MELTS AND DROPS
MAKING FAIRY SOUNDS AS IT LANDS

I WANT TO SAY
IT’S LIKE GRACE
 COVERING AN UGLY TREE

BUT I’M PUSHING THE SIMILE TOO FAR

I DON’T BELIEVE IN UGLY TREES
BUT WINTER TREES
THAT SHOW THE SCARS OF SURVIVAL

A THING OF BEAUTY
IS A JOY FOREVER
SO SINGS THE POET KEATS

BUT THERE ARE OTHER BEAUTIES
THE MESS OF BIRTH
AND PROCREATION

WRINKLES ON A OLD PERSON’S FACE

A FAMILY GATHERED AROUND A DEATH BED
AND THE DEATH

BUT AS FOR NOW
THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE WORKS OF NATURE
AND I SEE THE HAND OF GOD


FRANK A VOLLMER

(Matthew 27:5) JUDAS

FROM THE MOMENT OF LEAPING
TO THE END OF THE ROPE
HE CRIED
JESUS FORGIVE ME FOR MY SUGH

LATER WHEN JESUS VISITED
THE DEAD
ALL THOSE WHO HAD WAITED
 FOR A MESSIAH

HE MET HIS FATHER
KINGS AND PROPHETS
ORDINARY PEOPLE
WHO DIED LONGING

HE HAD COME TO
PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS

HE HAD COME TO TAKE THEM HOME

AT THE BACK OF THE CROWD
HEAD DOWN OUT OF SHAME
ROPE MARKS ON HIS NECK

HE SAID
I HAVE GRIEVOUSLY SINNED

BUT JESUS SAID
I HAVE DIED
LET’S GO HOME


FRANK A VOLLMER

(Mathew 25:31-46) THREE BLACK MEN

THREE BLACK MEN

HANGING FROM A TREE

THE SHERIFF SAID

LOOKS LIKE SUICIDE TO ME

THREE BLACK GIRLS

SINGING IN THE CHOIR

A BOMB GOES OFF

NOW THEY SING HIGHER

THREE CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

SITTING IN A FORD

VIGILANTES CAME BY

NOW THEY’RE WITH THE LORD

BLACK MEN

WHITE WOMEN

NO NONONO NO

WHITE MEN

BLACK WOMEN

IT’S GOOD YOU KNOW

BLACK SOLDIER

FIGHT TO MAKE THE WORLD FREE

COME HOME TO FIND

MODERN SLAVERY

YOUNG CHILD

COMING FROM THE STORE

HE LOOKS SUSPICIOUS

NOW HE IS NO MORE

FRANK A VOLLMER