TREES

 

TREES

 

 

BY

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

 

 

 

CYPRESSES

VAN GOGH’S CYPRESSES

I WILL PAINT YOU A PICTURE
OF FRIENDS OUT FOR A WALK
PAST TREES ALIVE AS IF ON FIRE
UNDER CLOUDS THAT ONLY COOL
BUT DO NOT DARKEN
PAST A HOUSE WHERE MEMORY DWELLS
WARM…RELAXED…A FAMILY KITCHEN
THE GOOD…THE SORROW
THE INTERWEAVING THREADS THAT MAKE A HOME
AND THE TREES
OLDER THAN ALL TIME
WILL RUSTLE WITH DELIGHT
AS FRIENDS GO BY
TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER

 

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THE PARTING

THE PARTING



WHAT CAN WE SAY AT PARTING
THAT WE FEEL PAIN AT UPROOTING

WE ARE NOT LIKE NURSERY PLANTS
GROWN ESPECIALLY FOR SELLING AND SENDING

NO WE HAVE GROWN LIKE FOREST TREES
ALL OUR ROOTS INTERWOVEN
AND IN THE PULLING OUT
SOME OF US REMAIN AND SOME OF YOU IS TAKEN

THERE IS NO EASY LEAVING

WHAT SHALL WE USE OF WORDS
TO TELL OF EMPTINESS

WHAT SHALL WE SAY OF PAIN
WHY NOT REMAIN

BUT THERE ARE OTHER TRUMPETS CALLING
OTHER LOVES AND LOYALTIES

AND NEEDS

THE FOREST FLOOR IS NEVER THE SAME
WHEN ONE OF THE TREES COMES DOWN

THE SUN REACHES DOWN AND SOME THINGS GROW
AND OTHERS WITHER

IT IS NEVER QUITE THE SAME

SO SHALL IT BE WITH US

SO WHAT SHALL WE SAY AT PARTING
BUT THE EXTENDING OF THE HAND IN A FIRM EMBRACE

THEN SLOWLY

RELUCTANTLY

LETTING GO

 

 

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A MAN SHOULD BE WILLING

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” –Greek proverb

 

A MAN SHOULD BE WILLING

TO PLANT A TREE

UNDER WHO’S SHADE

HE WILL NOT SIT

A TRIBUTE

TO THE FUTURE

A SIGN OF HOPE

FROM THE PAST

A TREE

WHERE OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN

CAN CARVE THEIR LOVED ONE’S NAME

WE ARE TOLD

TO PLANT WHERE WE WILL NOT REAP

TO REAP

WHERE WE HAVE NOT SOWN

TO BE THE DOER

NOT NECESSARILY

THE ACHIEVER

TO PLANT A TREE

WHERE OTHER’S CHILDREN

CAN HANG A SWING

AND PRACTICE GOING HIGHER

 

 

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Things (Matthew 6:25-46) (Luke 12:22-34)

 

 

 

 

There are birds

Eating seeds

From my feeder

 

There are birds

Nesting

In my trees

 

The birds are singing

Lauds

Vespers

Or other hours in between

 

As I sit in my lawn chair

Pleased with myself

At all I see

 

My piece of ground

My home

 

Lord of all I own

Or a vassal

Servant really

 

Given talents to invest

Given things

Not just to have

But to share

 

To give my song

As freely as the birds

 

To chant my thanks

For all he has done

For me

 

To be ready to fly home

When called

Unencumbered by things

 

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Plant A Tree (Matthew 24:34) (Mark 13:30) (Luke 21:32)

 

IN THE EARLY CHURCH

THE FEELING WAS

THAT CHRIST WAS COMING SOON

 

MARK SAYS

THIS GENERATION

WILL NOT PASS AWAY

UNTIL ALL THE THINGS

HAVE TAKEN PLACE

 

SO EITHER WE HAVE A BAD TRANSLATION

OR A BAD INTERPRETATION

BECAUSE

IT DIDN’T HAPPEN

 

WE HAVE PEOPLE

SEEING THE END OF THE WORLD

AT EVERY BEND OF THE ROAD

 

THEY SERVE A GOD WHO IS ANGRY

WHO DELIGHTS IN PUNISHMENT

A BOOGIE MAN FOR THE AGES

 

SUCH A GOD

I WOULD FIND IT HARD TO LOVE

 

BUT LET’S READ MARK AGAIN

 

THE MASTER IS GOING AWAY

HE LEAVES HIS SERVANTS IN CHARGE

HE SAYS IN EFFECT

MAKE ME PROUD

BE WORKING WHEN I COME BACK

 

THAT’S THE ADMONITION FOR END TIMES

BE WORKING WHEN I COME BACK

 

IT’S LIKE THE FOLK TALE ABOUT LUTHER

IF I KNEW THAT TOMORROW

WAS THE END OF THE WORLD

I WOULD PLANT AN APPLE TREE TODAY

 

THE KEY WORD

IS STAY AWAKE

WORKING

 

HE HAS LEFT US

IN CHARGE OF HIS KINGDOM

WE HAVE TREES TO PLANT

 

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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

OVERGROWN

BARELY THERE

 

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

THEN I’LL GO TO CHURCH

 

 FEELING 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

 

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REFLECTIONS ON SOLOMON’S TEMPLE

 

WHEN I WAS A LAD

A COUPLE OF CENTURIES AGO

I WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL

UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE

OF MUM AND GRANNY

THEY’D BROOK NO REPORTS OF MISCONDUCT

IN THE LORD’S HOUSE

 

I REMEMBER THE TEACHER

TALKING ABOUT SOLOMON’S TEMPLE

DESCRIBING IT IN GLOWING TERMS

 

IN MY MIND

MY YOUNG BOY’S MIND

 

I THINK I STILL HAVE IT

 

IN MY MIND

IT BECAME A BUILDING

GAZILLION FEET TALL

WITH SIDES TO MATCH

 

COVERED WITH GOLD

SMELLING OF CEDAR

LIKE MUM’S CLOSET

 

WHEN I BECAME OLDER

I LEARNED

IT WAS NOT AN UNIQUE BUILDING

IT WAS BUILT LIKE A CANAANITES TEMPLE

 

WHICH MAKES SENSE

 

THE BRITISH BUILT

ENGLISH STYLE CHURCHES

IN INDIA

DURING THE OCCUPATION

 

SINCE AT THAT TIME THE ISRAELITES

WERE NOT ARTISANS

EXCEPT IN WAR

THEY HIRED

A FOREIGN NATION TO BUILD IT

 

THEY HIRED KING HIRAM OF TYRE

(A CANAANITE)

WHO HAD THE SKILLS

WHO HAD MEN WHO HAD THE SKILLS

 

 HE INCLUDED PHOENICIAN SYMBOLS

LIKE THE MAZZEBAH

TWO PHALLIC SYMBOL COLUMNS

OUT FRONT

CALLED

BOAZ AND JACHIN

 

 THE ORNAMENTATION

OF PALM TREES

 CHERUBIM

EVEN THE LIONS GUARDING THE ARK

 

IN THE SANCTUARY

THE MIDDLE ROOM OF THE TEMPLE

STOOD A TABLE OF SHOWBREADS

 

TWELVE IN ALL

WITH A INCENSE BURNER

AMONG THEM

 

FOR THE LORD HAD REQUIRED

THAT THE BREAD

BE THERE

 

A BETTER NAME FOR SHOWBREADS

IS BREAD OF PRESENCE

 

SINCE IN TEMPLE WORSHIP

IT ALWAYS SHOULD BE THERE

BEFORE THE PRESENCE THE LORD

IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES

 

AFTER SEVEN DAYS

THE BREAD WAS REPLACED

IT WAS NOW THE PRIEST’S FOOD

IT MUST BE EATEN IN A HOLY PLACE

 

IT COULD BE EATEN BY OTHERS

AS DAVID AND HIS MEN DID

BUT IT WAS THE PRIESTS TO SHARE

 

AS WITH THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE TEMPLE

SHOWBREADS WERE COMMON TO THE AREA

REMNANTS OF A HOLY MEAL

 

IN OTHER CULTURES

FEEDING OF A GOD

WAS AN ORDINARY THING

 

ALSO IN THE SANCTUARY

WAS THE MENORAH

A SEVEN BRANCHED CANDELABRA

REPUTED TO LOOK LIKE THE PLANT SALVIA

WITH ITS MULTI- BRANCHES

 

THE ROOT OF THE WORD MENORAH

IS THE SAME AS MINARET

WHICH ORIGINALLY

WAS A LIGHTHOUSE

TO A DARKEN CITY

A KIND OF STREET LAMP

 

IT WAS NEEDED IN THE SANCTUARY

BECAUSE IT ONLY HAD A CLERESTORY

FOR OTHER LIGHT

WHICH WOULD BE USELESS AT NIGHT

 

IT WAS KEPT LIT CONTINUOUSLY

A SORT OF ETERNAL FLAME

 

BEYOND THE SANCTUARY

WAS THE HOLY OF HOLIES

THE REASON THE TEMPLE WAS BUILT

TO HOUSE G-D’S HOLY NAME

 

YAHWEH

 

OTHER CANAANITE TEMPLES

WOULD HAVE A STATUE

OF THEIR GOD

 

THERE WERE NO EFFIGIES

JUST THE ARK

THE GUARDING WINGED LIONS

BUT THERE WAS NO LIGHT

 

THE HOLY OF HOLIES

HOUSED G-D’S GLORY

HIS SHEKINAH

HIS DWELLING AMONG US

 

IN FRONT OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES

WAS A VEIL

A CURTAIN IF YOU WILL

THAT BLOCKED THE HOLY OF HOLIES

FROM VIEW

 

ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST

ONCE A YEAR

COULD GO THERE

 

BUT WHAT HAVE I LEARNED

FROM MY SHOWOFF RESEARCH

 

THAT WHEN I WAS A CHILD

I WAS TAUGHT AS A CHILD

BUT AS I GREW

MY FAITH DID NOT

IT WAS STUCK AT SUNDAY SCHOOL LEVEL

 

THAT POMPEY

HAVING CONQUERED JERUSALEM

ENTERED

UNBIDDEN

THE HOLY OF HOLIES

 

HE FOUND AN EMPTY ROOM

NO ARK

NO GUARDING LIONS

 

NOTHING

EMPTY

BUT HE MUST HAVE FOUND SOMETHING

SENSED SOMETHING

BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY

HE ORDERED THE TEMPLE CLEANSED

 SERVICES RESTARTED

 

BUT GRADUALLY

AS I MATURED

THE MIRACLE

THE IMPLICATION

OF THE INCARNATION

GREW IN ME

 

LIKE FILMING A SUNRISE

WITH A FAULTY CAMERA

THAT WOULD STICK

OR GO OUT OF FOCUS

 

FINALLY

THE TEMPLE VEIL RENT

THE SHEKINAH

WAS LOOSE

 

I SAW GOD’S FACE

HE SMILED

HE SAID GROW

 

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.

 

ABSALOM DAVID'S SON

ABSALOM DAVID'S SON



HE COULD REMEMBER HIS SWINGING ON TREES
WATCHING HIM NOW
HANGING FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR

HE WISHED HIS FACE WAS LESS CONTORTED
HIS FACE LINES LAUGHTER CAUSED

WHEN THEY TOLD HIM HOW HE DIED
HOW HE SWUNG FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR
PIERCED BY SOLDIERS SPEARS
HE ONLY ASKED
DID HE CALL MY NAME

I WOULD NOT WANT HIM DEAD IN ANGER
THIS CHILD OF MINE
WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN IN HIS YOUTH
WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN AND WOULD CALL
FIND ME IF YOU CAN

WHAT HAPPENED AS HE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD
WHAT HAPPENED AS WE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD
WHEN DID HE CLIMB DOWN UNHEEDED
AND WENT HIS WAY

DID HE TIRE OF HIDE AND SEEK
WHEN I WOULD NOT PLAY
WHERE DID I LOSE MY SON
WHEN DID THE SILENCE GO TO ANGER
AND THE NEED TO HURT

SO MANY CALLS UPON ME
SO MANY PLACES TO BE

OH ABSALOM ABSALOM TREE CLIMBER MY CHILD
STRANGE FRUIT ON THE TREE
STIFF IN DEATH AS YOU WERE IN LIFE
I KISS YOUR STILL UNFEELING LIPS
WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED
WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED
THAN BE HERE TO WATCH THE SUN GO DOWN
ON YOUR ANGER
AND YOUR DEATH

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