Sign

HE WOKE ONE MORNING BEFORE DAWN

AND IN THE QUIET

AND LONELINESS OF THE HOUR

SAID

GOD

GIVE ME A SIGN THAT YOU DO EXIST

BUT NO ANSWER CAME

BUT A MILLION CELLS

LIVED

DIED

REPRODUCED

AT DAWN

THE SUN CAME UP

WITH MATHEMATICAL PRECISION

AND COLORS

THAT CHALLENGE AN ARTIST’S PALETTE

AND QUIETLY

A MILLION CELLS

LIVED

DIED

REPRODUCED

WHILE HE WALKED THE EARTH

HELD IN PLACE BY GRAVITY

GIVE ME A SIGN

THAT I MIGHT BELIEVE IN YOU

HE CRIED

WHILE TIDES

AND PLANETS

MOVED

TO SCHEDULE

LIKE A SLAVE

LONGING FOR THE EVENING SHADOWS

OR A HIRED MAN

WAITING EAGERLY

FOR HIS WAGES

HE WAITED FOR A SIGN

AS THE EARTH PUSHED BACK

WITH FORCE EQUAL TO HIS WEIGHT

SO HE WOULD NOT SINK INTO THE GROUND

HE WAS A GOOD MAN

HE LOVED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN

HE DID NOT QUESTION THE SOURCE OF THAT LOVE

IT WAS JUST THERE

HE WAS AN HONORABLE MAN

WHO WORKED TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD

AND NEVER QUESTIONED THE SOURCE OF THAT IMPULSE

THERE WERE TIMES HE FELT AN INCREDIBLE LONELINESS

AND DID NOT KNOW WHY

LOST IN A FOREST

HE SAW NO TREES

WITH NIGHT

CAME THE WONDER

OF SUNSET AND EVENING SKY

AND HE REPEATED HIS MORNING PRAYER

HE DID NOT HEAR THE WHISPERINGS ALL AROUND HIM

AND RETIRED

DISAPPOINTED AGAIN

FRANK A VOLLMER