A HOLY WEEK MEDITATION

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

DOVES

HE WOULDN’T HURT THE DOVES

HE TOLD THEIR SELLERS

TO TAKE THEM FROM THE TEMPLE

THE BEASTS

USED TO ROUGH TREATMENT

HE DROVE FROM THE TEMPLE

ALONG WITH THEIR SELLERS

AND THE MONEY CHANGERS

BUT HE WOULDN’T HURT THE BIRDS

YOU HAVE MADE MY FATHER’S HOUSE

A SLAUGHTER HOUSE

A PLACE TO EXTORT THE POOR

KEEPING THE PRICE OF SACRIFICE HIGH

NO ALLOWANCE FOR THE WIDOW

OR THE WIDOWS MITE

BUT I AM TIRED OF YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS

THE SMOKE OF WHICH

NO LONGER PLEASES ME

IT’S JUST RITUAL

WITHOUT SUBSTANCE

BUYING GOD WITH A BURNING COW

I HAVE COME TO END SACRIFICES

WITH ONE GREAT SACRIFICE

MINE

TEAR DOWN THIS TEMPLE

AND I WILL REBUILD IT

IN THREE DAYS

WITH FLESH AND BLOOD

TEAR DOWN THIS TEMPLE

AND OLD WAYS CEASE

THE LAW IS LIFELESS AND COLD

BUT GOD’S LOVE IS WARM

THE KISS

I THINK IT WAS THE KISS THAT BROKE HIS HEART

NO MATTER WHAT ELSE WAS DONE TO HIM

THAT NIGHT AND NEXT DAY

NOTHING COULD MATCH THE FRIENDSHIP SIGN

AND GREETING

HAIL RABBI

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY HE STOOD SO SILENT

IN FRONT OF PILATE

EMPTY

TOO HURT FOR WORDS

OR TO EVEN CARE

THREE YEARS HE'D KNOWN THE MAN

HAD ATE WITH HIM LAUGHED WITH HIM

SHARED CONFIDENCES AND MEMORIES

HAD THOUGHT HE HAD A FRIEND

PETER JAMES JOHN THE REST WOULD RUN AWAY

THEY WERE AFRAID

HE COULD UNDERSTAND FEAR

HE WAS AFRAID HIMSELF NOW

HIS BODY WAS WET WITH NERVOUS SWEAT

HIS MIND STILL ECHOED HIS WORDS

OH GOD LET IT PASS LET IT PASS

IF JUDAS HADN'T KISSED HIM FOR A PRICE

HE MIGHT HAVE DONE IT BETTER

BUT THE KISS TOOK THE HEART FROM HIM

SO THAT HE STOOD EMPTY SILENT HEART GONE OUT

LIKE A LAMB BEING LED TO SLAUGHTER

CRUCIFIXION

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE

THE TRUTH BE TOLD

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST THE NOON DAY SKY

LIKE CARRION EATERS THEY CAME

TO SIT UPON THE LAWN AND WATCH

HOW SUCH A MAN WOULD DIE

NO MAN WHO HAS EVER CALLED ANOTHER…FRIEND

OR HELD A LOVER'S HAND

OR FELT THE PULL OF FALLING STAR

OR HEARD A ROBIN SING

NO MAN WHO HAS EVER BEEN IN LOVE

OR BOUNCED A BABY ON HIS KNEE

REALLY WANTS TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST A DARKENING SKY

HIS NEED FOR LOVE SO GREAT HE CRIED

I THIRST

THEY WONDERED WHY

AS HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

AGAINST A NIGHT BLACK SKY

THE VULTURES JUST STOOD AROUND

WAITING FOR HIM TO DIE

HE FELT THE COLDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS

AND CRIED TO HIS FATHER … WHY

ALL HIS PENT UP PASSION SURGING

HE CRIED TO HIS FATHER …WHY

AS HE HUNG

NAKED HUNG

FOR LOVE OF YOU AND I

PIETA

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM NOW

YOUR JOURNEY DONE

YOUR KINGDOM COME

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM NOW

COME REST YOUR HEAD WHERE ONCE YOU LAID IT

FRIGHTENED BY A MIDNIGHT DREAM

COME REST YOUR HEAD AGAIN MY SON

OH LET US BE LET US BE

ALONE IN EACH OTHERS COMPANY

THAT I MIGHT IN PLACE OF BLOODY FACE

REMEMBER MY CHILD OF GRACE

IN PLACE OF PIERCED HANDS LET ME SEE

THOSE THAT FLOWERS PICKED FOR ME

AND FEET THAT A THOUSAND ERRANDS RAN

OH LET US BE

COME SOFTLY TO MY BOSOM SON

EASTER

SHYLY

LIKE A BASHFUL LOVER

HE ROSE

NO TRUMPET BLAST

OR EARTHQUAKE SHOCK

QUIET

A WISP OF A MORNING BREEZE

A SCENT OF FLOWERS

MORNING DEW AND BIRDCALLS

A SUDDEN SENSE OF WARMTH

A QUIET COMING

ONE THAT DOES NOT SAY YOU WILL

BUT WILL YOU

HOW GODLIKE IN AN UNGODLIKE WAY

FOR HIM TO TAKE THE MORNING AIR

GOING TO MEET HIS MOTHER

MY CAT

MY CAT IS IN LOVE WITH OUR CUCKOO CLOCK

IT GIVES A CLICK

JUST BEFORE THE BIRD COMES OUT

NO MATTER WHERE SHE IS IN THE HOUSE

SHE RUNS

TO SIT IN RAPT ATTENTION

TO WATCH THE BIRD COME OUT

THEN WANDERS OFF

TO SIT BY A WINDOW

STARING

AT WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW

SHE PERFORMS HER RELIGIOUS RITES

WITH NO HESITATION

THE BIRD ALWAYS SINGS SWEETLY TO HER

NO HARSH

CROW LIKE CALL

IT MUST BE NICE

TO SERVE GOD SO WILLINGLY

BUT DOES GOD WANT AN AUTOMATON

LIKE A CAT DOING A TRICK

AT THE SOUND OF A CLICK

I THINK NOT

GOD WANTS HIS FLAWED CREATION

TO STRUGGLE PAST HIS FLAWNESS

KNOWING HIS CREATURE CAPACITY

TO GO LEFT WHEN HE SHOULD GO RIGHT

TO STOP WHEN HE SHOULD GO ON

GO ON WHEN HE SHOULD STOP

THIS MIX

OF MIND AND MORALS

OF DREAMS AND FAILURES

WHICH WE CALL MAN

MY CAT IS CHASING HER TAIL

A SILLY THING

BUT NO MORE SILLY

THAN A GOD WHO LOVES ME

WHO SEES THROUGH MY IMPERFECTIONS

AND HOLDS ME IN HIS LAP

LIKE A PAMPERED CAT

FRANK A VOLLMER

CHRISTIAN?

I OFTEN WONDER

IF JESUS

WISHES HIS FOLLOWERS

WOULD USE ANOTHER TITLE

HIS FOLLOWERS

OFTEN GIVE HIM A BAD NAME

I’VE SPENT A WEEK

ON THE SEA ISLANDS

WHERE THE GULLAH PEOPLE LIVE

BROUGHT TO AMERICA AS SLAVES

BECAUSE FREE MEN’S LABOR

WAS TOO EXPENSIVE

SINCE IT WAS PROFITABLE

IT HAD TO BE RIGHT

AND SOME SOUTHERN CHURCHES

USED THE BIBLE

TO PROVE IT

THE GULLAH PEOPLE

BROUGHT OVER TO WORK THE RICE PLANTATIONS

IN AN AREA SWAMPY

UNHEALTHY FOR WHITE MEN

WERE LEFT TO FARM ALONE

SUPERVISED BY A FELLOW BLACKMAN

CALLED A SLAVE DRIVER

TODAY WE WOULD CALL HIM A KAPO

LEFT ALONE

THEY FORMED THEIR OWN CULTURE

AND CREOLIZED SPEECH

AFTER FREEDOM

THERE WERE NO SCHOOLS FOR THEM

UNTIL A UNITARIAN WOMAN CAME

A UNITARIAN

NOT A FULL FLEDGED CHRISTIAN

WHEN SCHOOLS WERE PROVIDED

THEY WERE ATROCIOUS

SEPARATE

BUT EQUAL WAS THE LAW

THE COST PER STUDENTS

IN JUST SOUTH CAROLINA

WAS A DOLLAR SEVENTEEN FOR BLACKS

TWELVE DOLLARS FOR WHITES

AND THE GREAT LEGISLATORS

WHO BOLDLY PROCLAIMED A CHRISTIAN NATION

SLEEP PEACEFULLY

CONTENT THAT GOD WAS ON THEIR SIDE

BUT A PHILANTHROPIC JEW

BUILT SCHOOLS

AND SUPPORTED THEM

FROM HIS OWN POCKET

HE BELIEVED IN HIS BIBLE

IN HIS FAITH

THAT NO MAN BORN IN GOD’S IMAGE

IS THROWAWAY

ALSO HE SAID

THE HORRORS THAT ARE DUE TO RACE PREJUDICE

COME HOME TO THE JEW

MORE FORCEFULLY THAN TO OTHERS

OF THE WHITE RACE

ON ACCOUNT OF THE CENTURIES OF PERSECUTION

WHICH THEY HAVE SUFFERED AND STILL SUFFER

A PERSECUTION LARGELY CHRISTIAN BASED

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

IF WE BELIEVE IT

SHOULDN’T WE LIVE IT

AREN’T WE HYPOCRITES

WHEN WE SAY WE DO

AND LIVE

OTHERWISE

WE HANG A CROSS

ABOVE AN ALTAR

A SIGN OF CHRIST TRIUMPHANT

FORGETTING SOMETIMES

IT TAKES A GOOD FRIDAY

TO MAKE AN EASTER

A DYING

TO BE REBORN

WOULD

THAT WE ALL WOULD HAVE

A GOOD FRIDAY

TO BE REBORN

TO LIVE AS PEOPLE

WHO HAVE BEEN REDEEMED

THEN CHRIST

WOULD BE PROUD

WE BEAR HIS NAME

FRANK A VOLLMER

GRAVEYARD

I SUPPOSE I COULD HAVE IMAGINED IT

I’M PRONE TO THAT

BUT MAYBE IT WAS THE SCENERY

THAT MOVED ME

THE LOW LAYING MORNING FOG

THE LIVE OAKS

FESTOONED WITH SPANISH MOSS

LOOKING PALE AND GHOSTLY

THE PATH I WAS ON

NARROW

AND OVERGROWN

BARELY THERE

AND THEN THE WOODEN MARKER

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

SAYING TOM

I HAD FOUND A SLAVE GRAVEYARD

HUNTERS HAD FOUND IT FIRST

TOLD ME WHERE IT WAS

HERE I WAS

I THOUGHT I HEARD MURMURING

PERHAPS IT WAS THE TREES SIGHING

I THOUGHT I HEARD

WHEN I FIRST MET MARSE JOHN

HE SAID TO ME

I BOUGHT YOU

YOU BELONG TO ME

YOU’LL LIVE WHERE I TELL YOU

WORK TILL I SAY QUIT

I’LL GIVE YOU A WOMAN

BUT YOUR CHILDREN ARE MINE

TO TRADE OR SELL

FOR THAT MATTER

YOUR WOMAN

OR YOU

I CAN SELL TOO

IF YOU WORK

I’LL FEED YOU

IF YOU’RE LAZY

I’LL WHIP YOU

IF YOU’RE DISOBEDIENT

I’LL KILL YOU

AND I’LL GO TO CHURCH

AND FEEL JUSTIFIED

BUT WHETHER

YOU’RE GOOD OR BAD

I PROMISE YOU

WHETHER I WORK YOU TO DEATH

OR KILL YOU

I’LL PUT A MARKER ON YOUR GRAVE

FRANK A VOLLMER

RIGHTEOUS

RIGHTEOUS

I SUPPOSE THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH ME

IT USUALLY ALWAYS DOES

BUT MY LATEST HICCUP

ARE THE WORDS

RIGHTEOUS

RIGHTEOUSNESS

THEY ARE CHURCH WORDS

AND NOT UNDERSTOOD

I ASKED SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE

NON CLERGY

WHAT THEY MEAN

I GOT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ANSWERS

SO MUCH FOR CHURCH SPEAK

AND CONFUSING THE LAITY

IN ROMANS 4:3

PAUL WRITES

“WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE SAY

ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD,

AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS”

WOULDN’T IT BE BETTER SAID

THAT ABRAHAM

BELIEVED GOD

TRUSTED GOD

AND ACTED ON THAT BELIEF

WORDIER MAYBE

BUT I THINK CLEARER

THE WORD WAS COINED BY WILLIAM TYNDALE

FROM AN EARLIER ENGLISH WORD

RIHTWIS

WHOSE ROOTS MEAN RIGHT

AND MANNER OR WAY

HE WAS TRANSLATING THE HEBREW WORD


TZEDEK

WHICH MEANS

UPRIGHT JUST STRAIGHT INNOCENT TRUE SINCERE

SO ABRAHAM ACTED IN A RIGHT WAY

AND IN MANY THINGS HE DID

THEY WERE DONE IN THE RIGHT WAY

FROM BELIEVING GOD

LEAVING EVERYTHING

GOING SOUTH

DEFERRING TO LOT

IN THE DIVISION OF GRAZING LAND

RESCUING LOT WHEN SOLDIERS CAPTURED HIM

DEALING FAVORABLY WITH HIS NEIGHBORS

IN BUSINESS DEALS

NO SHARP PRACTICES

BARGAINING WITH GOD

TO SAVE A VILLAGE

THERE WERE SOME DARK SPOTS TOO

LIKE SENDING HIS WIFE

TO A KIND OF WHOREDOM

BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID

CHASING HIS FIRST SON

AND THE CHILD’S MOTHER

INTO THE WILDERNESS

A POOR TREATMENT

FOR THEY

WHO GOD HAD BREATHED LIFE INTO

A CHILD BORN

BECAUSE HE DIDN’T TRUST GOD

BUT THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC

PUZZLES ME

HE OBEYED GOD

BUT DID HE MISS THE MARK

BY NOT REMINDING GOD

THAT KILLING WAS WRONG

AS GOD SAID TO CAIN

“YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD

CRIES OUT TO ME

FROM THE GROUND”

I WOULD HOPE SO

SO WE HAVE IN ABRAHAM

A MAN

WHO ACTS NOBLY

AND IGNOBLY

SOMEONE JUST LIKE US

WE ARE CALLED TO LEAVE OUR COMFORT ZONE

TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER THAN IT IS

IS WORLD HUNGER THE RIGHT WAY

BEING POOR

DESTITUTE

THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

DENYING A MOTHER WHOSE CHILD WAS BORN

WITH A HARELIP

INSURANCE COVERAGE

BECAUSE IT WAS A PREEXISTING CONDITION

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

CEO RECEIVING BONUSES

WHILE WORKERS GIVE UP WAGES

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

CALLING ONESELF RIGHTEOUS

AND THEN DOING NOTHING

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

HATING THE SOJOURNER IN YOUR MIDST

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

KILLING CHILDREN IN THE WOMB

IS THAT THE RIGHT WAY

IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME

FOR US TO BE RIGHTEOUS

TO BEAR THE NAME

BUT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO START THE JOURNEY

AND LIKE A PEBBLE

ROLLING DOWN THE HILL

GRAVITY

AND GOD

WILL HELP US DO THE REST

FRANK A VOLLMER