A STORY...A RHAPSODY

A STORY

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY
LET ME SPIN A RHAPSODY
OF DISPARATE ELEMENTS
SOME TRUE
SOME FABLE
A STORY

TO ONE MAN
WHO WANTED TO FOLLOW HIM
HE SAID
I HAVE NO WHERE TO EVEN LAY MY HEAD

TO ANOTHER
WHO WANTED TO BURY HIS FATHER
HE SAID
LET THE DEAD
BURY THE DEAD

TO ANOTHER
WHO WANTED TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIS FATHER
HE SAID
ONE WHO FOLLOWS ME
NEVER LOOKS BACK

HARSH WORDS
I WONDER WHY

LET ME NOW SPIN A TALE

WHEN JOSEPH DIED
JESUS COULD NOT COME TO THE FUNERAL
BECAUSE HE WAS JUDGED
BY HIS FAMILY
TO BE A MEMZER
A BASTARD
AND BASTARDS
WERE NOT ALLOWED
TO ATTEND
FUNERALS

HE WAS CALLED MARY’S SON
NOT JOSEPH’S


IN HIS SACRIFICE FOR US
HE STRIPED HIMSELF POOR
LOWLY BIRTH
QUESTIONABLE PARENTAGE
SHUNNED BY HIS LARGER FAMILY
TOLERATED
BECAUSE
MARY WAS HIS MOTHER

HE COULDN’T IDENTIFY
WITH PEOPLE
AND FAMILY TIES
HE’D GIVEN UP HIS OWN

HE’D EVEN TRIED TO PUT DISTANCE
BETWEEN HIM AND HIS MOTHER
AND BROTHERS
SAYING
WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME IS MOTHER
AND BROTHER

BUT HIS MOTHER WOULDN’T GO AWAY
AND WAS FAITHFUL
TO THE END
WHEN HE TRIED ONCE AGAIN
UNSUCCESSFULLY
TO GIVE HER AWAY

MOTHER BEHOLD YOUR SON
SON BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER

HANGING ON THE CROSS
BEREFT OF ALL HE HELD DEAR
CRYING TO THE FATHER
OUT OF LONELINESS
WHY HAVE YOU LEFT ME

IN LIGHT OF ALL HE HAD GIVEN AWAY
HE COULDN’T UNDERSTAND
HOLDING BACK


FRANK A VOLLMER