LOVE POETRY

SHE WHO NEVER SLEEPS

 

 

 

God is himself Love, and it is because of love that we pursue him. In his ineffable majesty he is our Father, but in the comfort ‘ he extends to us he has become our mother. Yes, the Father in his love became a woman, and the Son whom he brought forth from himself is strong proof of this.

 

 

 

 

SO SAYS THE HOLY MAN CLEMENT

IN THE COMFORT HE EXTENDS

HE BECOMES OUR MOTHER

 

HOW REASSURING

BEHIND THE TRADITIONAL

HARSH FACE OF THE FATHER

THERE IS A WOMAN

WATCHING OVER US

 

SHE WHO WATCHES OVER ME

IS PATTERNED

AFTER SUCH A GOD

 

THROUGH ALL MY PHYSICAL AFFLICTIONS

AND DEEP DEPRESSION

SHE HAS BEEN WITH ME

TENDING ME

NURSING ME

CHASING AWAY SHADOWS

PULLING ME TOWARD THE LIGHT

 

WITHOUT A GRUMBLE

WELL MAYBE A LITTLE

SHE’S NO SAINT

WELL MAYBE IN TRAINING

 

EVEN NOW I MUST BE QUIET

IF I MAKE A NOISE

OUT OF THE DARKNESS I HEAR

ARE YOU ALRIGHT

 

 

HOW DID I MANAGE

TO HAVE SUCH A PEARL

 

 

WITH APOLOGIES TO DAVID I SAY

SHE NEITHER SLUMBERS

NOR SLEEPS

WHO WATCHES OVER ME

 

IF THESE ARE THE FINAL DAYS OF MY JOURNEY

I COULD NOT ASK FOR A BETTER COMPANION

TO WATCH THE SUNSET COME DOWN

A GLORIOUS FINISH

 

 

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RIPPLES OF LOVE

 

 

 

THERE FLOWED BETWEEN THEM

SUCH A DEPTH OF LOVE

THAT OTHERS IN THEIR COMPANY

FELT ITS WARMTH

AND WITHOUT KNOWING WHY

TREATED OTHERS KINDLY

 

LIKE A RAINDROP IN A POOL

IT SENT OUT RIPPLES

THAT BROKE THE MOON

INTO MANY SILVER PIECES

EACH PIECE CARRIED ITS LIGHT

INTO DARK PLACES

 

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN

MUCH IS EXPECTED

THEY CARRIED THEIR BURDEN LIGHTLY

THIS LOVE

THAT THEY MUST SHARE

 

THEY SUFFERED NO LOSS

IN THEIR REACHING OUT

FOR LOVE THAT IS GIVEN

RETURNS INCREASED

 

AND WHERE THEY WALKED

FLOWERS BLOOMED

AND THE SUN SHONE

ON A KINDLY LAND

 

 

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HOUSE BLESSING

 

BLESS OH LORD

OUR HOUSE OF LOVE

WHERE YOU DWELL

AS WELCOME GUEST

LET YOUR SUN

FILL EVERY CORNER

MAY YOU DRAW

FROM US THE BEST

 

BLESS MY PARTNER

GENTLE MAIDEN

SOFTEN TEAR

AND HEIGHTEN SMILE

MAY THIS PLACE

BE SANCTUARY

WHERE WE IN LOVE

MAY REST AWHILE

 

BUT WE SHALL NOT

WITHDRAW FROM LIVING

FOR LOVE YOU GIVE

IS MADE FOR SHARING

SO MAY OUR HOUSE

BE TESTIMONY

THAT GOD IS LOVE

AND HE IS CARING

 

 

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ANNIVERSARY

 

THE THOUGHT OF ANNIVERSARY

IS THE RECALLING

OF SOMETHING

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN

 

BUT I CAN SAY

THAT SINCE I FIRST LOVED YOU

FIRST FROM AFAR

THEN UP CLOSE

TILL FINALLY AS ONE

 

MY LOVE FOR YOU

HAS NEVER NEEDED REMINDING

 

ANNIVERSARIES ARE NUMBERS

AND HAVE ENDINGS

 

MY LOVE IS FOREVER

IT WILL NEVER END

 

THERE IS NO REMEMBERING SOMETHING

THAT HAS NEVER BEEN FORGOTTEN

 

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ARIRANG

 

ARIRANG

ARIRANG

 

A MOUNTAIN

IN THE MIST

 

ARIRANG

ARIRANG

 

MY LOVER FADING SLOWLY

IN THE MIST

 

THE MIST IS LIFTING

HE IS GONE

 

MAY HIS FEET HURT

BEFORE HE GOES A MILE

 

ARIRANG

ARIRANG

 

MAY EVERY BONE IN HIS FEET HURT

AS MY HEART HURTS

 

THE PAINS IN MY HEART

ARE AS NUMEROUS

AS THE STARS

 

WHAT DID WE ARGUE OVER

I DO NOT KNOW

SOME LOVER’S FANTASY

 SOME WOUNDED PRIDE

 

ARIRANG

ARIRANG

 

I WANT HIM BACK

HIS FEET BOTHERED

BY SOME PEBBLE IN HIS SHOE

QUICKLY REMOVED

 

BUT WAIT

IN STARLIGHT

DO I SEE

MY LOVER COMING BACK

TO ME

NOT HOBBLING

BUT ON NIMBLE FEET

 

 

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PROVERBS

 

 

I HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH PROVERBS

THEIR DESCRIPTION OF A GOOD WIFE

IT LOOKS LIKE A LIST FOR HIRING HELP

I THINK IT SMACKS OF WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS

MY WIFE LOVES ME

AND I LOVE HER

 FROM THAT FLOWS GOOD

LIKE GRACE FREELY GIVEN

LIKE DEEDS FREELY DONE

THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD

AS AGE WITHERS AND BEAUTY FADES

THERE STILL IS HEARD

THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE

 I AM A BLESSED MAN

 

 

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LOVERS

 

 

 

 

THE LEGEND GOES

THAT TWO LOVERS

DISPLEASED THE GODS

WHO CAST THEM TO THE SKY

TO BE STARS

THAT NEVER PASSED

 

I DON’T BELIEVE

IN SUCH A GOD

HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN

YOU

 

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THE RENDEZVOUS

 

 

MAYBE I WANTED IT TO HAPPEN TO THEM

BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO HAPPEN TO ME

I KNEW WHAT THEY FELT         

THOSE LOVERS ON THE MATCH BOX

WHO ON MILLIONS OF COPIES OF THE MATCH BOX

STARED        LONGED       LOVED

BUT NEVER TOUCHED

FROZEN AS IF BY SOME ANCIENT CURSE

EACH ONE REACHING

BUT NEVER TOUCHING

BUT NEVER SAD

THEIR LOVE HAD BEEN CAUGHT

IN THE MOMENT OF REACHING

PERHAPS IT WAS THAT INTENSE DESIRE

THAT MADE IT HAPPEN

AT THAT MAGIC HOUR OF THE NIGHT

WITH THE MOON LIKE A BOWL GATHERING DREAMS

SPILLING DREAM’S FULFILLMENT UPON THE LOVERS

THEY RAN TO KISS

TILL THE DAWN CAME UP

AND FLED TO ALL THE BOXES

NOT SEPARATE NOW

BUT JOINED FOREVER

SMILE ON ME MOON

IN THE MORNING SKY

I WILL NOT FALTER

IN MY REACHING

 

 

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A CEREMONY FOR REMEMBERING

A CEREMONY FOR REMEMBERING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROLOGUE

 

LET US SUMMON TO MIND OUR DEAD

BE THEY PARENTS CHILDREN LOVED ONES OR DREAMS

BUT WHEN WE ARE DONE

LET US GENTLY CLOSE THE DOOR

AND LET THEM SLEEP

 

 

 

EMMAUS

 

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS EYES

LIKE A SOLDIER OFF TO WAR

SAYING GOODBYE TO LOVED ONES

OR A SAILOR FOR A LONG LONG TRIP

 

WE'D WALKED THAT ROAD MANY TIMES

MY FRIEND AND I

IT HAD BECOME A BIT OF A TASK

WITH NOTHING NEW

TO BE DONE WITH SWIFTLY

AND DONE WITH

WITH PLEASURE AT EITHER END

BUT NOTHING IN THE JOURNEY

 

UNTIL THE STRANGER CAME TO WALK WITH US

THIS STRANGER

WITH RELUCTANT EYES

HE'D SIGHT A TREE AND CALL IT OUT BY NAME

A FLOWER

BIRD

OR SOME CREEPING THING

THE WAY THE SUN TOOK A CLOUD

AND LIT IT UP WITHIN

OR CAST LONG SHADOWS

LIKE THE SHADOWS

THAT SAT UPON OUR HEARTS

THAT DAY

 

WHY ARE YOU SO SAD

HE ASKED

AFTER A WHILE

 

WE'D LET HIM TALK FIRST

 OUT OF COURTESY

HE SEEMED TO NEED TO TALK

WHY ARE YOU SO SAD

 

AND SO TO THIS MAN

WHO SEEMED SO EAGER FOR LIVING THINGS

WE TOLD HIM OF A DEATH

OF OUR FRIEND JESUS

WHO HAD DIED

AND TO USE HIS IMAGERY

PLUCKED LIKE A FLOWER

THAT WAS THROWN AWAY

PICKED WITHOUT PURPOSE

 

OF A MAN

WHO WHEN HE SPOKE

BOTH TESTED US AND JOYED US

 

OF THIS JOURNEY

THAT WE TOOK

WHICH WAS DOUBLY LONG

FOR WE CARRIED SADNESS TO EMMAUS

THERE WOULD BE NO PLEASURE THERE

 

THE BODY WAS GONE

OH THE WOMEN HYSTERICAL

HAD SAID HE WAS RISEN

BUT THE BODY WAS GONE

 

WHY SHOULD HE DIE

WE BELIEVED HIM CHOSEN OF GOD

WHY SHOULD HE DIE

 

PERHAPS BECAUSE WE WERE TOO NUMB TO SPEAK

HE TOOK OVER THE CONVERSATION

WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO LOVE YOUR FATHER HE SAID

 

WHEN I BECAME THE AGE HE WAS

WHEN I DISLIKED HIM

IT SOMEHOW MADE HIM DIFFERENT THEN

AND UNDERSTANDABLE

 

SO JESUS CAME HE SAID

TO BE THAT PARENT

TO BE THE ONE WHO WENT BEFORE

TO BE THE ONE WHO LIVED AND DIED

AND TO BE TRULY RISEN

AS THE WOMEN SAID

TO BE THE PARENT

WHO HAD GONE BEFORE

SO YOU COULD LEARN

TO LOVE HIM AS YOU GREW

AND THROUGH HIM

THE FATHER TOO

 

PERHAPS IT WAS THE CADENCE OF HIS VOICE

OR THE WORDS OR THE MAN HIMSELF

BUT WE FELT CALM

WE INVITED HIM TO SUP WITH US

IN OUR GARDEN IN THE EVENING COOL

FOR THE DAY HAD RUN AWAY

 

AND WE KNEW HIM IN THE BREAKING BREAD

AND THE WINE

THAT TOOK THE JOURNEY'S DUST AWAY

 

 

 

THE SHAWL

 

 

THE SHAWL IS FINISHED

I HAVE WOVEN THE WOOL WITH TEARS

I HAVE HURT MY FINGERS

AND SUCKED SORROW

 

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING NOW

 

IT WAS FITTING HE SHOULD DIE IN FALL

OR EARLY WINTER REALLY

WHEN GRAYNESS COMES UPON THE LAND

 

WOULD I CALL HIM BACK

TO RE-SUFFER ALL HIS PAINS

TO ELIMINATE MY OWN

 

DID I NOT LOVE HIM TO THE POINT I COULD LET HIM GO

IF GOING WERE THE BETTER CHOICE

 

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING

 

THE SHAWL IS FINISHED

 

I SHALL FIND OTHER THINGS TO DO

 

 

  

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

 

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD THE WATCHMAN CRIED

IN THE CITY WHERE HE WAS RIDING

ON A CART PILED HIGH WITH LAST YEARS DREAMS

AND LONG REMEMBERED ANGERS

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

THIS CITY THAT WAS ONCE SO FAIR

WHOSE WALLS WERE WHITE AND RIVERS CLEAR

WHERE MEN WALKED OUT ALONE AND UNAFRAID

HAS BECOME A STINK HOUSE OF REMEMBERED PAIN

AND PENT UP SORROW

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

LET WINDOWS ONCE MORE OPEN TO THE BREEZE

AND PIPERS PLAY NO MORE THE FUNERAL MARCH BUT GAY

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

THAT MEN MAY SAY ON PASSING BY

A FAIR CITY THERE PLEASING TO THE EYE

AND HEAR

THE LAUGHTER RINGING IN THE AIR

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

 

 

 

STARS

 

 

HE LIKED TO WATCH THE STARS

THEIR SENSE OF ORDER AND HIS FILIAL PRIDE

BOTH GAVE HIM WARMTH

HE LIKED THE LEGENDS THAT MEN TOLD

ABOUT THESE LANTERNS IN THE SKY

HE LIKED THE WAY THEY LED A SHIP

OR CARAVAN TO FIND A HOME

HE SOMETIMES THOUGHT HE HEARD THE SOUND OF SILVER BELLS

WHEN THE WIND WAS IN THE TREES

AND NIGHT CLOUDS CAME SCUDDING ACROSS THE MOON

  

WHEN WILD DOGS BARKED

AND SHEEP BELLS RANG CLEARLY IN THE DARK

HE THOUGHT HE HEARD THE STARS SING

 

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY HIS FATHER

MADE THE SKY GO DARK

BEFORE HE DIED

 

 

 

 

THE OLD HOUSE

 

WE FOUND IT DEEP IN THE WOODS

FAR FROM THE PATH

THE RUINS OF THE HOUSE

AND THE OLD STONE FENCE

YOU COULD TELL THE GARDEN

IN THE DIFFERENCE IN TREES

AND BUSHES GONE WILD

THE MOUNTAINEER'S CABIN

HARD BY A STREAM

YOU COULD MARK OFF HIS FIELDS

BY FOLLOWING HIS FENCE

EACH STONE HAND CARRIED TO BUILD IT

AS HE FOUND THEM

ON A SLOOP SO STEEP

YOU COULD PICTURE THEIR SAYING

IF YOU DON'T HOLD ONTO THE PLOW

YOU'LL FALL OUT OF THE FIELD

YOU WONDER WHEN HE BUILT THE HOUSE AND FENCE AND PLOWED

DID HE THINK IT WOULD COME TO THIS

OR DID HE SEE A LINE OF SONS COMING AFTER

LOVING THE LAND AS HE DID

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER I SUPPOSE

WHAT COUNTS IS

HE HAD A DREAM

AND TRIED TO MAKE IT REAL

 

 

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

THE SOLDIERS SPEARS IMPALING

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

 

 

 

 

METAL FENCE

 

METAL FENCE WITH GATE DOOR OPEN

STANDING IN A FIELD BEFORE A HOUSE LONG GONE

THE GARDEN OVERGROWN

AND GONE TO SEED IN WINTER

WHAT POSSESSED ME I DO NOT KNOW

TO LEAVE THE ROAD

AND GO AND CLOSE THE GATE

WHOSE GHOSTS DID I WANT TO RESTRAIN

THEIRS OR MINE

WHAT VISIONS OF PARENTHOOD

HOPES 

DREAMS 

STILL DWELL IN THE GARDEN

STAY CLOSED GATE

I HAVE GHOSTS ENOUGH

OF MY OWN TO KEEP

 

 

JOSEPH'S DEATH

 

IT WAS SUMMER AND THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN

THROUGH THEM HE COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF HOUSEWORK BEING DONE

THE SNATCH OF A SONG THE RUNNING OF WATER

THE SOUND OF A BROOM

IT WAS HOT BUT HE COULDN'T FEEL IT

HIS SHAWL WAS ABOUT HIS SHOULDERS

BUT HIS COLD WASN'T IN THE WEATHER

THE SOUND OF THE BROOM RAN ALL HIS DAYS TOGETHER

SO THAT HE THOUGHT HIMSELF ONCE MORE YOUNG

AND COMING TO CALL FLOWERS FRESHLY PICKED

UPON HIS YOUNG SWEET LOVE

HIS MARY

BUT THEN HIS MEMORY DARKENED

AND HIS BLOOD IN SPITE OF YEARS RAN HOT

ANGER POUNDED IN HIS BRAIN

I AM WITH CHILD

NO A THOUSAND RAVENS CRIED

NO A THOUSAND CROWS REPLIED

PANDEMONIUM OF THUNDER 

LIGHTNING FLASH

AND DRIVING RAIN

NO HE CRIED TO NO ONE LISTENING

RACING FROM THE SUMMER STORM

RACING LOSING AND WAS CAUGHT

DRENCHED

THE RAIN RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE MIXING WITH HIS TEARS

NO HE WHISPERED TO THE EARTH

FACE PRESSED DOWN IN SOGGY GRASS

WHY HE SOBBED OH GOD WHY..

BUT NO ANSWER CAME THEN SOMETHING CAME

THE MEMORY OF HER WORDS

REMEMBER I LOVE YOU

HOW QUICK THE STORM

HOW SUDDEN THE SUN'S RETURN

SO THAT THE OLD MAN FELT ONCE MORE ITS HEAT

HE STRUGGLED TO FORM THE WORDS

FROM IN THE HOUSE THE QUESTION

DID YOU CALL

I LOVE YOU

DID YOU CALL

I LOVE YOU

DID YOU CALL

THEN JOSEPH DIED

 

 

 

ON THE DEATH OF A FATHER OF MY FRIEND

I MOURN YOU

THOUGH I NEVER KNEW YOU

I NEVER BOUGHT YOU A BEER

LAUGHED AT YOUR JOKES

OR SHARED YOUR VIEWS

YET I MOURN YOU STILL

FOR YOUR DEATH IS A LOSS TO ONE I LOVE

AND I AM DIMINISHED BY IT

AND SO I MOURN YOU

BUT MORE

FOR YOU SHAPED AND BROUGHT INTO BEING

MY FRIEND

SOMEWHERE IN YOU THEN WAS A GIFT OF BEAUTY

AND THAT MUCH BEAUTY IS NOW GONE

AND I MOURN YOU

NOW YOU SLEEP OUT IN THE RAIN

ALL YOUR ELEMENTS GOING BACK TO GOD

NOW THE SENSE OF LOSS GIVES MY FRIEND PAIN

BUT IN THE SPRING

WHEN CROCUS BUDS PEEK THROUGH THE SNOW

COME BACK

WITH MEMORIES WARM

ALL HARSH THOUGHTS FORGOTTEN

COME BACK WITH MEMORIES OF LAUGHTER

AND MAKE MY HEART-FRIEND

SMILE

 

 

 

 

 

THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE

 

I THINK PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE

WHEN ALL LOVE COMES HOME TO GOD TO REST

WHEN WORDS

WHICH DO NOT TELL THE HEART

ARE OVER

I THINK PERHAPS WE SHALL REVERT TO THE BEGINNING

AND WITH A SIGH BREATHE OUT OUR SOULS TO REST

WHEN SPIRIT OF GOD AND LOVE ARE REUNITED

AND SAFELY DWELL FOREVER IN GOD'S BREAST

 

 

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER