HODGEPODGE

HODGEPODGE

 

 

BY

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

 

 



 

 

 

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FLOURISH

I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT

AND HOPED

I’D GO OUT WITH A FLOURISH

WAVE MY WHITE PLUME

DISMISSIVELY AT DEATH

AND BE GONE

PERHAPS WITH SOMETHING

DRAMATIC ON MY LIPS

IT’S THE WAY ACTORS DIE

BUT LATELY

IT’S BECOMING MORE OBVIOUS

I’M GOING

MORE LIKE AN APPLE

LEFT ON A TREE

AFTER PICKING

LEFT TO GO BROWN

AND WRINKLED

OH LACKADAY AND FORSOOTH

I REMEMBER

A BUNCH

OF POOR HUNGRY BOYS

AMONG THEM ME

WHO FOUND SUCH APPLES

AND THOUGHT THEM

AMBROSIA

PERHAPS MY DEMISE

MAY BE

BIGGER THAN A HERO’S

FLOURISH AT DEFEAT

A BOY’S BITE

AN EMPTY BELLY

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Getting Younger

GETTING YOUNGER

I MUST BE GETTING YOUNGER

OR SENILE

OR BOTH

SHE

WHO NEVER WEARS WHITE

PAST LABOR DAY

AND WATCHES OVER MY COMING

AND GOING

MOSTLY GOING

STANDING AT THE DOOR

WAITING TO INSPECT THE TROOPS

WATCHING CAREFULLY

LEST SOMEONE SLIP BY

THOSE COLORS

ARE NOT COMPLIMENTARY

SHE’LL SAY

I DIDN’T KNOW

THEY WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER

I’LL SAY

THEN WITH EYES LIFTED TO HEAVEN

SHE’LL EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN

SOME ARCANE RULING

ABOUT STRIPES AND PLAID

WARM AND COLD COLORS

THEIR SEASONAL LIMITATIONS

OY VEY

I THOUGHT THE BIBLE WAS HARD

WHO MADE THESE RULES

WHERE ARE THEY WRITTEN DOWN

AND FINGER GESTURES

IF I HAVE KETCHUP ON MY MOUSTACHE

I CAN MAKE A LUNAR LANDING

WITH A NAPKIN

BY WATCHING A FINGER ON HER FACE

IF MY FLY IS DOWN

WHICH SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN

I CAN TELL BY THE

GIVE ME STRENGTH LOOK

AS SHE STANDS IN FRONT OF ME

SO I CAN MODESTLY ADJUST

I THINK

SHE AND MY GUARDIAN ANGEL

ARE IN COMPETITION

THOUGH IF TRUTH BE TOLD

I PROBABLY NEED BOTH

WHEN WE GO TO THE DOCTORS

I ALWAYS TELL THE NURSE

TO CHECK THE CLEAN UNDERWEAR BOX

I HEAR ECHOES OF MY MOTHER

IT’S A REFLECTION ON ME

I MUST BE GETTING YOUNGER

BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO BED

WATCHED OVER BY GOD AND HER

I SLEEP LIKE A BABY

 

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A BLESSING

 

 

LET US BEGIN

AS WE BEGIN ALL THINGS

 

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER

AND THE SON

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

AMEN

 

JESUS SAID

WHERE TWO OR THREE

ARE

GATHERED IN MY NAME

THERE I AM

AMONG THEM

 

THEN THIS MUST BE

A HOLY PEOPLE

A HOLY PLACE

 

AND TO THIS HOLY PLACE

WE INVITE

THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

 

THEY ARE ALREADY HERE

THEY HAVE NEVER LEFT

 

AMONG THAT COMMUNITY

ARE ALL OUR LOVED ONES

WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE

 

AND ON THIS HOLY ASSEMBLY

I ASK A BLESSING

ON OUR FOOD

ON OURSELVES

ASKING

PLEADING

THAT

 

GOD BE IN OUR HEAD,

AND IN OUR UNDERSTANDING;

 

GOD BE IN OUR EYES,

AND IN OUR LOOKING;

 

GOD BE IN OUR MOUTH,

AND IN OUR SPEAKING;

 

GOD BE IN OUR HEART,

AND IN OUR THINKING;

 

GOD BE AT OUR END,

AND AT OUR DEPARTING

 

GOD BE WITH US

MORNING

NOON

EVENING

AND THROUGH THE NIGHT

 

GOD BE WITH US

GOD BE ALWAYS WITH US

 

AND WITH OUR ABSENT

BROTHERS

AND SISTERS

 

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HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME CRIPPLED JESUS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

 

HOW CAN YOU SHOW ME THE WAY

WHEN YOUR HANDS AND FEET

ARE NAILED TO THE CROSS

 

HOW CAN YOU MEND BROKEN HEARTS

WHEN YOURS IS BROKEN BY A SPEAR

 

HOW CAN YOU CLEAR MY MIND

WHEN YOURS IS CLOUDED

BY THE PAIN OF THORNS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

MY WOUNDED JESUS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

 

AND JESUS SAYS

I CANNOT

AS LONG

AS I AM FIXED HERE

 

FIXED HERE

TO THE WOOD

BY THE NAILS

 

YOU MUST TAKE ME DOWN

AND LET ME BE WITH YOU

LET ME BE A PART OF YOU

LET ME BE WITHIN YOU

 

THEN YOU SHALL BE

MY HANDS AND FEET

MY HEART AND MIND

WHEN YOU AND I

 ARE ONE

AS I

AND THE FATHER

AND THE SPIRIT

ARE ONE

 

BUT…

BUT WOUNDED SAVIOR

WITH YOUR DAMAGED FEET

WE WILL NOT TRAVEL FAR

 

LEAN ON ME CHILD

AND I YOU

 

AND WEARING OUR WOUNDS

LIKE BADGES

WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH

 

NOT BY DENIAL OF OUR WOUNDS

FOR THEY ARE REAL

 

BUT IN THE WISDOM

THAT YOU TAUGHT US

THAT YOU DID NOT SUFFER IN VAIN

OR DIE IN VAIN

 

THAT YOU DID NOT SUFFER

AND DIE

FOR MY FAILURE

OR MY CONDEMNATION

BUT MY SUCCESS

 

AT SUCH A PRICE

CAN I REFUSE

TO TAKE YOU DOWN

AND MAKE US ONE

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HANDS

 

I’M RUNNING OUT OF HANDS

 

I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT

THAT IF I LOST MY LEFT HAND

MY RIGHT HAND WOULD BE LEFT

 

THERE’S A JOKE THERE

BUT I CAN’T PUT MY FINGER ON IT

 

I HATE TO PALM A BAD JOKE OFF ON YOU

I’D LIKE TO WRIST HUMOR

OUT OF THIS SITUATION

THUMB-THING FUNNY

 

IF THE WHOLE WORLD’S IN HIS HANDS

I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO CLAP WITH

 

THE STROKE TOOK MY RIGHT HAND

THEN MY LEFT HAND

WHICH WAS NOW MY RIGHT HAND

DEVELOPED TENDONITIS

FROM TOO MUCH WORK

 

SO NOW I WEAR A BRACE

WHAT A DISGRACE

SOON I’LL BE EATING LIKE A CAT

IMAGINE THAT

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HISTORY-STORY

 

 

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN

DID MAGI COME BRINGING GIFTS

DID SHEPHERDS LEAVE THEIR FLOCK

DID SOLDIERS SLAY CHILDREN FOR A KING

DID THEY HAVE TO FLEE TO EGYPT



SOME SAY YES

THE BIBLE IS HISTORY



SOME SAY NO

THE BIBLE IS STORY



BUT WHATEVER WAY IT HAPPENED

YES OR NO

OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN



A CHILD WAS BORN

MIRACLE ENOUGH IN ITSELF



BY LEAP OF FAITH

THAT CHILD IS GOD



THERE IS NO NEED FOR STORY



BUT DO WE LIVE

AS ONE

WHOM CHRIST WALKED AMONG

TAUGHT

DIED

ROSE

LEFT IN BODY

BUT HIS SPIRIT REMAINS



OR ARE WE STILL 

AT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS

BEING SERVED SWEETNESS

WHEN WE NEED MEAT



HAS THE WONDER OF THE INCARNATION

CHANGED US



THAT EVERY MAN HAS DIGNITY

BECAUSE CHRIST DID NOT THINK

IT BELOW HIS DIGNITY

TO BE COME ONE



SO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR

THERE IS A CHILD THAT NEEDS NOURISHING



AND HIS FOOD

IS LOVE AND SERVICE

 

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IMPROPERIA

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

I INVITED YOU TO MY SON’S WEDDING

BUT YOU DID NOT COME

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

 

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

I SENT MESSENGERS TO TELL OF FATTED CALVES

YOU ABUSED AND KILLED THEM

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

 

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

IN MY ANGER I SLEW THE GUESTS

HEART BROKEN I CRIED OUT

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

 

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME!

THEN IN REMORSE

I SAID GO TO THE HIGHWAYS

AND INVITE ALL YOU FIND

MY OTHER GUESTS HAVE PROVEN UNWORTHY

GATHER GOOD AND BAD

MY HOUSE WILL BE FILLED

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

 

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU,

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME!

HE CAME INTO THE HALL

AND FOUND A GUEST

WHO WAS NOT WEARING

THE SUPPLIED WHITE GARMENT

HE SAID TO HIS SERVANTS BIND HIM

AND THROW HIM OUTSIDE THE GATE

HE IS AS UNWORTHY AS MY FIRST GUESTS

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

 

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU,

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

WHAT MORE COULD I HAVE DONE FOR YOU

THAT YOU WOULD REFUSE THE WHITE GARMENT

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

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INFINITY

 

 

THE SYMBOL FOR INFINITY

IS A FIGURE EIGHT

LAID ON IT SIDE

IT’S CALLED

A LEMNISCATE

A  RIBBON

 

ANOTHER SYMBOL IS A SNAKE

SWALLOWING ITS TAIL

IT’S CALLED

AN UROBORUS

A CIRCLE

 

THEN GOD SAID BEGIN

 

WHERE ON THE CIRCLE

THE RIBBON

CAN YOU SAY THE SPOT

 

MAYBE GOD DIDN’T SPEAK IT

PERHAPS HE THOUGHT IT

OR BLINKED

OR SCRATCHED HIS HEAD

I WASN’T THERE

 

BUT I WAS AT MY OWN CONCEPTION

WHEN HE SAID BEGIN

AND MY UNIVERSE EXPLODED

 

 

 

WHEN I CONSIDER THE HEAVENS,
       THE WORK OF YOUR FINGERS

 
       THE MOON AND THE STARS,
       WHICH YOU HAVE SET IN PLACE

 

  WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM,
       THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU CARE FOR HIM

 

THE UNIVERSE IS STILL EXPANDING

 

 

SOMEDAY GRAVITY WILL TAKE OVER

IT WILL ALL COLLAPSE

AND BE DONE

 

TIME WILL HAVE ENDED

 

A MERE BLIP ON THE RIBBON

 

AND ALL OF US

WILL HAVE BEEN GATHERED

INTO GOD’S BOSOM

 

AND INFINITI

WILL ROLL ON

FOREVER

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Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

 

 

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

 

 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

 

 

 

 

JARS

 

NOW THEY WERE OLD JARS

BROUGHT OUT FOR THE OCCASION

TO HANDLE THE CROWD

 

NOT THE BEST JARS

BUT ONES BROUGHT OUT OF STORAGE

DUSTED AND FILLED WITH WATER

 

        THEIR FINISH WAS DULL     

AND IF TRUTH BE TOLD

SOME LEAKED

 

BUT THEY ONLY HELD WATER

HUMBLE ORDINARY WATER

 

THEN GOD SPOKE

AND JARS OF CLAY

STAYED JARS OF CLAY

 

BUT FILLED

WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD

AND HIS GOODNESS

 

THROUGHOUT HISTORY

THE BROKEN TOOL

HAS BEEN USED

TO BUILD THE CITY

 

AND OLD JARS

HAVE BEEN ASKED

TO HOLD

THE SWEETNESS OF GOD

AND SHARE IT

WITH ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY

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JOHN 19:41      

 

THERE WAS A GARDEN IN THE PLACE WHERE JESUS HAD BEEN PUT TO DEATH AND IN IT THERE WAS A NEW TOMB WHERE NO ONE HAD EVER BEEN LAID

 

 

A NEW TOMB IN NEW EARTH

A FRESH FURROW TO PLANT THE SEED

A SEED THAT HAD SURVIVED THE WINTER’S SNOW

A GARDEN PLACE

WHERE MEN WALK IN THE TWILIGHT OF THE DAY

SEEKING RELIEF FROM THE HEAT OF THE DAY

SEEKING STRENGTH FOR THE MORROW

ALONE HE WENT

AT THE END

WITHOUT A FRIEND

STRUNG OUT LIKE WASH AGAINST THE SKY

AS IF

THE WASHING OF THEIR HANDS

WOULD PUT AN END TO HIM

BUT HE FELL TO EARTH

LIKE AUTUMN SEED

IN NEW TURNED SOIL

 TOOK THE NIGHT

TOOK THE COLD

WOKE TO SUN

WOKE TO WARMTH

WOKE TO BIRTH

BY MAGDALENE’S TEARS

WHERE IS MY JESUS

WHERE IS MY LOVE

 

THERE WAS A DEATH

THE WAS A TOMB

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