NOW THE DAY IS OVER

NOW THE DAY IS OVER

Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

THE CAMPING SEASON WAS OVER

IT WAS OUR CUSTOM

TO SING THIS HYMN

THE LAST NIGHT

Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep,
Birds, and beasts and flowers
Soon will be asleep.

THE LITTLE ONES WHO HAD FOUGHT SLEEP

WERE NOW IN THEIR SLEEPING BAGS

AFTER TELLING US

THAT PIECES OF FLAME

FROM OUR FIRE

WERE ANGELS GOING TO GOD

WHO WAS I TO DENY IT

Jesus, give the weary
Calm and sweet repose;
With Thy tenderest blessing
May mine eyelids close.

GIVE TO ALL THE DOWNTRODDEN

WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LEISURE

TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF YOU SKY

A PEACEFUL NIGHT

TO THEM AND TO ME

Grant to little children
Visions bright of Thee;
Guard the sailors tossing
On the deep, blue sea.

GRANT TO THOSE ENTRUSTED TO US

THAT THEY MIGHT GROW UPRIGHT

LIKE THE CEDARS OF LEBANON

THAT SAILORS

AND ALL THOSE TOSSING ON A SEA

MIGHT FIND A SHELTER FOR THEMSELVES  AND ME

Comfort those who suffer,
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.

GRANT PEACE TO ALL WHO SUFFER

AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM

MAY GOOD CONQUER EVIL

CHANGING GOATS INTO SHEEP

Through the long night watches
May Thine angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.

MAY I KNOW YOUR PRESENCE

NOW AND IN MY FINAL HOUR

WATCH OVER ME AND MINE

THROUGH THE NIGHT WATCH HOUR

When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure, and fresh, and sinless
In Thy holy eyes.

GUARD ME AS I START ANEW

CHARGING WINDMILLS WILLY NILLY

MAY I ALWAYS BE YOUR KNIGHT

MAY MY PLUME BE ALWAYS WHITE

Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,
And to Thee, blest Spirit,
While all ages run.

FRANK A VOLLMER

SPARROWS

SPARROWS

THERE IS A LEGEND

THAT JESUS AS A BOY

WAS PLAYING IN A PUDDLE

MAKING MUD SPARROWS

WHEN HE WAS DONE

HE CLAPPED HIS HANDS

THE SPARROWS FLEW AWAY

I THINK THAT’S THE KIND OF GOD WE WANT

WHO’LL CLAP HIS HANDS

MAKE ALL OUR SELF MADE PROBLEMS

TAKE WINGS

FORGETTING HE SAID

THE WORLD IS YOURS

MAKE YOUR SPARROWS FLY

FRANK A VOLLMER

OFFAL

OFFAL

OFFAL IS AN UGLY WORD

IT COMES FROM THAT WHICH FELL OFF

THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK

AS WASTE

TOO OFTEN

RELIGIOUS PEOPLE

WHATEVER STRIPE

SEE OTHERS

WHO DON’T BELONG

TO THEIR PARTICULAR CLUB

AS OFFAL

CHILDREN

WHO DIE EARLY

ARE DENIED HEAVEN

FOR NOT BELIEVING

OR BEING RITUALLY MARKED

DID NOT CHRIST

HANGING LIKE LAUNDRY

ON THE LINE

I HAVE COME TO MAKE SCARLET WHITE

TO MAKE DIRTY CLEAN

TO SHELTER THE HOMELESS

WHO DARES PUT A LIMIT TO MY BENEVOLENCE

WHO DARES TO TREAT

ANY OF MY PEOPLE

AS OFFAL

FRANK A VOLLMER

WHO LIES THERE

WHO LIES THERE

 

I’M READING THE BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM DODDS

WHO WAS THE AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY IN THE EARLY THIRTIES

WHEN ASKED LATER

WHY THE UNITED STATES

DIDN’T COME ON STRONG TO GERMANY

ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF JEWS

HIS REPLY WAS

THE STATE DEPARTMENT FEARED THAT GERMANY

WOULD BRING UP THE STATUS OF BLACKS

IN THE STATES

ESPECIALLY THE PRACTICE OF LYNCHING

ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS AGO

AND BLACKS STILL FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES

HOW CAN A SUPPOSEDLY CHRISTIAN NATION

BEHAVE THIS WAY

HOW MANY OF US FAVORED WHITES

TREATED THAT WAY

WOULD REMAIN DOCILE

THEIR CHRISTIANITY SHAMES OURS

WE UNDER PAY

WE UNDER EDUCATE

TREAT THEM AS EXCREMENT

THEN BLAME THEM FOR THE RESULTS

IS THE SITUATION BAD

YES

BUT MORE HATE WONT SOLVE THE PROBLEM

WE ARE NO BETTER

THAN THOSE WHO PASSED THE JERICHO TRAVELER

 WE PASS THIS TRAVELER AT OUR OWN PERIL

FOR BY DOING

WE PASS CHRIST

 

FRANK A VOLLMER



UNCERTAIN

UNCERTAIN

I’M IN THE MIDST OF GOD

WONDERING WHERE I SHOULD FACE

 

LIKE A FISH

I AM SURROUNDED BY THE OCEAN OF GOD

I’M TEMPTED TO JUMP IN

BUT I HAVE A CAUTION

PAUL SAYS I LIVE

NOT I BUT CHRIST

 

WHY DID GOD MAKE ME

 THE UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL I AM

TO LOSE MY IDENTITY IN HIM

IS IT EGO THAT MAKES ME QUESTION

IS NOT GOD PLEASED WITH HIS CREATION

 

LOVING GOD SHOULD BE MORE THAN A SENSATION

WHICH WITHERS UNDER STRESS

BUT A DECISION TO SERVE

BUT A WILLINGNESS TO LEAP INTO DARKNESS

KNOWING BUT NOT KNOWING

 

ELECTRICITY

 WHEN IT HITS THE BODY

EXCEEDS THE BODY’S ABILITY

TO HANDLE ENERGY

SO GOD EXCEEDS OUR ABILITY TO COMPREHEND

THE ENERGY OF A DIVINE

BUT GOD’S ENERGY

WILL NOT KILL

BUT ENLIVEN

BEYOND THAT I’M IN DARKNESS

STILL UNWILLING TO LEAP

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 



WIND

WIND

 

ON MY LAWN IS A WHIRLY-GIG

SPINNING

I SEE THE MOTION

BUT I DON’T SEE THE WIND THAT CAUSED IT

 

I’M WATCHING A METEOR SHOWER

I MARVEL AT GOD’S CREATION

FROM THE UNIVERSE TO ME

BUT I DON’T SEE GOD

MY VISION IS TOO NARROW

TO SEE ITS IMMENSITY

 

BUT THIS GREATNESS REMEMBERS ME

SO I EXIST

I SPIN IN THE WIND

OFTEN IMPERFECTLY

THE UNKNOWABLE IS PLEASED

WITH MY ECCENTRIC SPINNING

LIKE A PARENT WATCHING HIS TODDLER WALK

IT

WHO HAS NO BEGINNING OR END

RUFFLES MY HAIR

AS IF TO SAY HELLO

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 



THOUGHTS FROM AN IMPERFECT MIND

• THOUGHTS FROM AN IMPERFECT MIND

 

• I THINK CHRISTIANITY HAS MANY BELIEVERS BUT FEW DOERS. THE BELIEVERS ARE SAFE BEHIND WALLS FROM WHICH THEY DO NOT SALLY.
• WE PRAISE GOD AND REMIND HIM CONTINUALLY THAT WE ARE SINNERS AS IF HE MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN. HE’D LIKE US TO ADMIT OUR FAILURES BY DOING BETTER.
• MANY OF THE ANCESTORS OF MODERN DAY RELIGIONS REQUIRED SACRIFICES OF LIVING THINGS OR PLANT FOOD TO APPEASE THE GOD. FOR CHRISTIANITY JESUS WAS THE SACRIFICE.
• MAN IS DESTRUCTIVE. HE DESTROYS ANIMALS AND PLANTS TO SURVIVE. PRIMITIVE MAN THANKED THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICE. A KIND OF GRACE.
• PRIMITIVE MAN HAD NO CREED OR DOGMA. THE WHOLE WORLD WAS SACRED. THE SPIRIT WHO PROVIDED FOOD, CALLED BY SCHOLARS ‘MASTER OF THE ANIMALS’ WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE ANIMALS FOR THE HUNT, THEN WAS THANKED IF THE HUNT WAS SUCCESSFUL. GOING ON THE HUNT WAS OFTEN A RELIGIOUS EXERCISE. IF THE HUNT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL THEY WONDERED HOW THEY HAD OFFENDED THE MASTER.
• WHEN RIVERS REACH THE OCEAN THEY BECOME ONE, WHEN SOULS REACH GOD THEY BECOME ONE WITH GOD AND THINK GOD-LIKE THOUGHTS. THEY CARE FOR HIS CREATION.
• IT IS WRONG TO WITHHOLD CHARITY FROM SOMEONE WHOSE BELIEF IS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS. ALSO IT IS WRONG TO ASK THE OTHER TO CHANGE HIS BELIEF TO YOURS IN ORDER TO GET CHARITY.
• IT IS WRONG TO CALL THE UNEMPLOYED LAZY, WHEN THE EMPLOYER REDUCES JOBS TO MAKE A GREATER PROFIT. IT PUTS THE ONUS ON THE VICTIM.
• TO GO ON RETREAT TO RETURN A JUSTIFIED PHARISEE IS NO EARTHLY GOOD BUT TO RETURN AS A WIDOW WITH HER MITE – A PERSON WHO KNOWS THE WORLD IS IMPERFECT AND NEEDS FIXING – IS A GOOD THING.
• THE SIN OF DIVES FOR WHICH HE RESIDES IN HELL IS NOT THAT HE ABUSED LAZARUS BUT THAT HE DIDN’T SEE HIM UNDER THE TABLE LIVING ON HIS SCRAPS.
• THE TERM MYSTERY RELIGIONS IS A MISNOMER FOR MODERN MAN. IT DOESN’T MEAN A MUMBO-JUMBO EXPERIENCE OR SECRET KNOWLEDGE, THAT WAS THE PLOY OF THE GNOSTICS. RATHER IT WAS A PARTICIPATION IN A PSYCHODRAMA CENTERING ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A GOD. THE PARTICIPANTS FASTED AND THEN WALKED TO EXHAUSTION TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE EXPERIENCE. TO CHRISTIANS THE TRINITY IS A MYSTERY. IT CANNOT BE DESCRIBED WELL, BUT EXPERIENCED. THE EUCHARIST CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BUT THE FACT IS THE PARTICIPANT HOLDS GOD’S BODY IN HIS HAND. A SORT OF PIETA WITH A LIVE BODY.

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

THE CLOWN WHO CRIED

THE CLOWN WHO CRIED

 

HE WAS A CLOWN

WHO MADE FUN OF HITLER

FOR WHICH HE WAS INCARCERATED

AS A NON JEW HE HAD A JOB

ENTERTAINING THE CHILDREN

ON THEIR WAY TO THE GAS CHAMBER

 

SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS

HIS WAS THE ONLY KIND FACE THEY SAW

 

HE WAS USEFUL

HE LIVED

BUT THE SOUND OF LAUGHING CHILDREN

WAS AN EARWORM

THAT CHORUSED HIM

WHEREVER HE WENT

 

TILL HE FOUND PEACE

BY GOING INTO THE CHAMBER

ENTERTAINING THEM TILL THEY DIED

 

FRANK A VOLLMER