advent in auschwitz

ADVENT IN AUSCHWITZ

WHAT PASSING BELL

FOR THOSE WHO DIE LIKE CATTLE

SO SINGS THE POET WILFRED OWEN

OF SOLDIERS

KILLED

IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

WHAT PASSING BELL

FOR THOSE WHO DIE LIKE CATTLE

WHAT PASSING BELL

FOR THOSE WHO DIED

AT AUSCHWITZ

BERGEN-BELSEN

TREBLINKA

NOT THE ONLY DISASTER

TO HAVE HAPPENED

BUT THIS HAPPENED

IN MY LIFETIME

TO PEOPLE

SOME OF WHOM

BORE MY LAST NAME

DID NOT MESSIAH

ROAM THESE CAMPS

CRYING

THIS IS NOT RELIGION

BUT

HATRED

EACH ONE WHO DIES

DIES AS CHRIST

EACH ONE WHO DIES

IS A LILY IN THE FIELD

BELOVED BY ITS MAKER

EACH ONE WHO IS SHOT

GASSED

STARVED

HUNG

BURNED

CRIES OUT

WHERE IS YOUR RELIGION

THE JEWS CRY FOR A MESSIAH

CHRISTIANS CRY FOR A MESSIAH

PEOPLE WHO KNOW HIM NOT

CRY FOR A MESSIAH

BUT HE WILL NOT INTRUDE

HE MADE THE WORLD FOR US

GAVE US DOMINION

BECAUSE WE WOULD PREFER TO EAT THE FRUIT

HE GAVE US DOMINION

MAKE IT WORK

HE SAID

YOU WANTED DOMINION

MAKE IT WORK

I TREASURE

EVERY LILY IN THE FIELD

GARDENER

TEND YOUR FLOWERS

FRANK A VOLLMER

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHRISTMAS EVE

SANTA WAS IN A BIND
THE ELVES WERE SICK
THE REINDEER SNEEZING
RUDOLPH HAD BLOWN HIS NOSE OUT
AND CHRISTMAS WAS AROUND THE CORNER

CANCELING WAS NOT AN OPTION
BUT WHAT TO DO

WITH A SMILE HE HAD AN IDEA

I SHALL GO TO MY OLD PAL PIGTAIL
THE DONKEY WITH THE TWISTED TAIL
IN THE LAND OF NOT QUITE PERFECT

HE ENLISTED PIGTAIL
TO PULL HIS SLED

ALONG WITH SOME UNICORNS
WHOSE HORNS WERE EITHER MISSHAPEN
OR BROKEN

SOME HORSES
OFTEN CALLED NAGS
SLOW IN SPEED BUT FAST WITH EFFORT

SOME REINDEER
NOT PATHFINDERS
BUT FOLLOWERS
NOT LEADERS

SOME BIRDS CALLED
WHEREAREWE
FOR A GPS

THOUGH SANTA KNEW THE WAY
BUT IT MADE THE BIRDS HAPPY

HE THOUGHT
IT DOESN’T TAKE PERFECTION
TO GET A JOB DONE

THE ANT AND MOSQUITO
THOUGH SMALL
COMPLETE THEIR TASK

THE LESS FAVORED
ARE ONLY LESS FAVORED
IN THEIR MIND

INSIDE
WHERE IT COUNTS
THEY ARE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL
AND CAPABLE
AS ANYONE ELSE

SO CHRISTMAS EVE
IF YOU HEAR OF ALL THINGS
A DONKEY BRAY

YOUR GIFTS WERE BROUGHT
BY THOSE NOT PERFECT
BUT BEAUTIFUL

FRANK A VOLLMER