THE SHELL

IS IT JUST HIS DEATH THAT WE REMEMBER

IN THE GIVING OF THIS CUP

THIS SHELL THIS BAPTISMAL DEVICE

THIS GOLDEN SCALLOP

THAT SCOOPS UP WATER FROM THE FONT

AND TRICKLES IT DOWN OUR HEAD

AND CALL US TO BE CHRISTIAN

DO WE JUST REMEMBER HIS DEATH

OR MORE FOR IS NOT THE CUP A SYMBOL POOR

OF SOME GREAT WAVE THAT OVERWHELMS US

SPILLING US FROM OUR FEET

PLUNGING US INTO A VIOLENT SEA

BEATING PUMMELING CHOKING BRUISING

UNTIL WE STRUGGLE TO OUR FEET

GASPING AIR AS SOMETHING PRECIOUS

WILLING TO LIVE

A BETTER SYMBOL PERHAPS OF THAT TIME

WHEN ALL THAT WAS MY FATHER CEASED

AND ALL HE WANTED TO BE BECAME

A GOING AWAY AND COMING BACK

A SAYING OF HELLO -GOODBYE

TO CALL MY FATHER A SAINT

WOULD BE TO NOT REMEMBER HIM

BUT TO CALL HIM A MAN

WHO LAUGHED AND LONGED YEARNED AND DREAMED

WHO CRIED OUT OFTEN IN THE DARKNESS OF HIS BEING

WHO WAS OFTEN ANGRY HURT OR IN SOME PAIN

WHO LOVED WITH BOTH A LARGE AND NARROW HEART

WHO WANTED LOVE APPLAUSE AND OTHER MAN'S ESTEEM

WHO SAW DREAMS CRUMBLE IN HIS ALL THUMBS HAND

WHO CRIED OH GOD TELLS ME WHO I AM

THIS PICTURE OF A MAN WHO AS I GROW

BECOMES SURPRISINGLY JUST LIKE ME

THIS CUP IN WHOSE HOLLOW I CAN HEAR THE OCEAN'S ROAR

THIS SYMBOL OF AN OCEAN POOR

THIS GOING DOWN TO DEATH

TO BE CALLED BACK BY WATER

RUNNING LIKE RAINDROPS ON THE FACE

LIKE MY TEARS FALLING AS MY FATHER WENT

FOR REBIRTH

AND THE BEGINNING OF DREAMS

FRANK A VOLLMER

DANDELION SEEDS

GATHER THE DANDELION SEEDS

THE VOICE SAID

GATHER THE SEEDS

THIS AFTER I HAD BLOWN THE PUFFBALL

INTO A STEM

IT REMINDS ME OF PENITENCE

AND FORGIVENESS

BY THIS I MEAN

IF I SIN

AND AM SORRY

I AM FORGIVEN

IF I STEAL A POOR MAN’S COAT

AND FEELS SORRY

I AM FORGIVEN

BUT THE POOR MAN

STILL HAS NO COAT

WHAT I SEEM TO HEAR

IS THAT THERE IS FORGIVENESS

WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS

WITHOUT A NEED TO REDRESS OUR ACTIONS

I DON’T HEAR THAT NEED

IN THE ALL ENCOMPASSING

FORGIVENESS OF CHRIST

AND I THINK THAT IS CHEAP GRACE

DOES THE ADULTERER GET OFF SCOT FREE

THE MURDERER

THE CROOKED POLITICIAN

THE VENAL BANKER

OR FOR THAT MATTER

ALL THE HOUSEHOLD SINS

WE COMMIT REGULARLY

GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS

BUT CAN

OR SHOULD HE

OBLITERATE THE HARM I’VE DONE

AND IF NOT

WHAT PENALTY

MUST I PAY

HERE OR HEREAFTER

THESE THOUGHTS BOTHER ME

FOR THE DAY IS FADING

AND NIGHT IS COMING SOON

I ASK FORGIVENESS

FROM ALL I’VE HURT

AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL SOOTHE THE WOUNDS

OF THOSE I’VE WOUNDED

AND PRAY THAT GOD

WILL GRANT ME

A PEACEFUL NIGHT

AND A QUIET END

FRANK A VOLLMER

PERICOPE

ONE OF MY PET PEEVE

IS THE USING

BY CLERGY

OF CHURCH SPEAK

THE USE OF WORDS

THAT THE LAYMAN RARELY KNOWS

MY LATEST PEEVE IS THE USE OF THE WORD

PERICOPE

WHICH MEANS

AN EXTRACT OR SELECTION FROM A BOOK

ESPECIALLY A READING FROM A SCRIPTURE

THAT FORMS PART OF A CHURCH SERVICE

LITERALLY

IT MEANS

A PIECE CUT OUT

THE SCRIPTURES

ARE GIVEN TO US AS GOD’S WORD

BUT A READING BY SOME

THAT GOD SAYS

HANDLE SNAKES

OR EARTHQUAKES ARE CAUSED

BY HOMOSEXUALITY

OR THE MANY CHURCHES

SAYING

THEY PREACH THE BIBLE

BUT THEY GO FROM SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION

TO THE COSMIC BIG BANG

FROM HATRED OF ANYTHING DIFFERENT

TO DOROTHY DAY

AND DIETRICH BONHOEFFER

IT ALL CAN’T BE TRUE

THE BIBLE IS FIRST OF ALL A BOOK

SUBJECT TO ALL THE SCRUTINY

OF ANCIENT TEXTS

IT IS GIVEN TO US AS THE WORD OF GOD

BUT DID GOD REALLY SAY

STEAL THE LAND OF ISRAEL

OR PRACTICE GENOCIDE ON ITS INHABITANTS

IF SO

IS HE NOT BEING A HYPOCRITE

WHEN HE CONDEMNS CAIN

AND FORBIDS KILLING

IN HIS COMMANDMENTS

COULD NOT THESE READINGS

HAVE BEEN WRITTEN

BY THE VICTORS

TO JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS

IS MURDER

CONSISTENT

WITH A GOD OF LOVE

THE BIBLE MESSAGE TO ME

IS THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS

THAT YOU CANNOT LOVE GOD

WITHOUT LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR

SO ANY INTERPRETATION

OF THE SCRIPTURES

THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN LOVE

IS WRONG

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

CAN WE DO ANYTHING LESS

FRANK A VOLLMER

COME HOLY GOOSE

IT DIDN’T START OUT TO BE A NOISY DAY

IN FACT THEY WERE TRYING TO BE INVISIBLE

HIDDEN BEHIND LOCKED DOORS

HE’D GONE AWAY

AND THE WAY A CHILD IS CONSOLED

BY THE SOUND OF ITS PARENT VOICE

WAS DENIED THEM

WHEN SUDDENLY THE SHUTTERS BLEW OPEN

AND KEPT BANGING BACK AND FORTH

THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH A RUSHING WIND

THAT BLEW EVERYTHING LOOSE

AROUND THE ROOM

THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH WIND

THEY WERE FISHERMEN

WHAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH

WERE TONGUES OF FIRE

THAT SETTLES ON THEIR HEADS

BUT DID NOT BURN

DID NOT BURN

BUT INFLAMED THEM

SO THAT THE ROOM WAS TOO SMALL

THEY RUSHED OUT TO MEET A CROWD

GATHERED BY THE SOUND OF THE WIND

AND NO MATTER

WHAT LANGUAGE

THE QUESTION

WHAT HAPPENED

WAS ASKED

THE ANSWER THEY HEARD WAS THEIR OWN LANGUAGE

AMONG THE CROWD WAS HEARD

WERE NOT THESE

THE COWARDS

THAT RAN AWAY

BUT NOW THEY SPEAK WITH ENTHUSIASM

LIKE MEN

DRUNK BEFORE THE NOON DAY HOUR

PROCLAIMING THE MERCY OF GOD

IN CELTIC TIMES

THE HOLY SPIRIT

WAS OFTEN PORTRAYED

AS A WILD GOOSE

A FITTING SYMBOL

FOR A RAUCOUS BIRTHDAY

NOT THE DOVE

COOING PEACEFULLY ON THE NEST

CONTENT

BUT A BOLD BRASH IMAGE

AN IN YOUR FACE BIRD

NO ONE HARMS WHAT IS MINE BIRD

A GET OUT OF THE PEWS AND DANCE BIRD

A MAKE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD BIRD

LET THE WORLD KNOW YOU’RE HERE BIRD

WE NEED THE DOVE

TO REMIND US THAT GOD IS GENTLE

WE NEED THE GOOSE

TO REMIND US

THAT GOD WILL BE HEARD

WE NEED THE GOOSE TO REMIND US

THAT THERE IS NEVER A POLITE TIME TO BE HEARD

IF YOUR BROTHER CRIES

TAKE CARE OF HIM

WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE THE WILD GOOSE LIVES

TRUE TO HIS NATURE

AND NOISY

FRANK A VOLLMER

THOUGHTS ON A LONG NIGHT

ANOTHER SLEEPLESS NIGHT

I’M SPENDING IT

AS I USUALLY DO

PUZZLING OVER THINGS

THAT INTEREST ME

TONIGHT

IT’S

DEATH DYING

AND BEYOND

WHEN CHRIST DIED

THE CREED TELLS US

HE DESCENDED

INTO HELL

SHEOL

HADES

THE LAND OF SHADES

HE WENT THERE TO FREE

TO FREE THE DEAD

THOSE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN

WHO HAD GONE BEFORE

HE CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE

THE GOATS HE LEFT BEHIND

THEY SELF DIVIDED THEMSELVES

THOSE WHO SAW THE BEATIFIC VISION

AS GOOD

CAME NEAR

THOSE WHO SAW THE BEATIFIC VISION

AS HATEFUL

FLED AWAY

ANOTHER THOUGHT

IS THAT CHRIST

BURDENED WITH ALL THE SINS OF MANKIND

PLUMMETED TO THE LOWER REGIONS OF HEEL

FOR SIN MUST BE ATONED

MUST SUFFER THE PAINS OF HELL

ITS UTTER LONELINESS

AND ABANDONMENT

HAVING TRULY ATONED FOR SIN

HE SET THE CAPTIVES FREE

FROM THE UPPER LEVELS

ONE THOUGHT IS THAT AT DEATH

THERE IS A JUDGMENT

AND ONE IS EITHER ASSIGNED TO HEAVEN

OR HELL

ANOTHER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT SAYS

THAT THE GOOD

MUST UNDERGO A SEASON OF PURGING

FOR SINS UNREPENTANT

LIKE GOSSIP

WHOSE ILL EFFECTS

LINGER ON LONG AFTER THE SINS ARE FORGIVEN

A REMOVAL OF THE SCUFFMARKS

THAT EVIL MAKES ON OUR SOULS

A SORT OF BUFFING

A SORT OF SUNDAY CLOTHES

REQUIRED

TO ENTER HEAVEN

HEAVEN

HELL

AND A PLACE OF PURGING

ARE NOT REAL PLACES

BUT A CONDITION

A STATE OF MIND

THAT A SOUL

TRAVEL WEARY FROM HIS JOURNEY

NEEDS REFRESHING

AND THAT SEPARATION IS SELF INDUCED

THAT THE SOUL

ONCE SEEING GOD

RUES HIS SINS

DISTANCES HIMSELF

AND BURNS WITH PASSION

TO SEE HIM AGAIN

THE THOUGHT OF PURGING IS AS OLD AS CHRISTIANITY

AND BEFORE THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT

WE KNOW THE EARLY CHURCH PRAYED FOR THE DEAD

IF THEY WERE ALREADY IN HEAVEN

WHY PRAY FOR THEM

HEAVEN IS THE PLACE WHERE ALL GOOD SOULS GO

WHETHER DIRECTLY

OR PURGED

THE GOATS REMAIN IN THE ABYSS OF HELL

BUT ANOTHER THOUGHT IS THAT ALL WILL BE SAVED

THAT HELL WILL BE EMPTIED OUT

THAT THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS

WAS SO GREAT

IT COULD WIPE OUT ALL SIN

UNIVERSAL SALVATION

CARRIES WITH IT OVERTONES OF PURGING

AND GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR HIS CREATION

AND GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR HIS CREATION

COMFORTS ME

NOW IN THE TWILIGHT OF MY LIFE

I HAVE FAILED THE PROVERBIAL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

BUT I STILL LOVE GOD

IMPERFECTLY

I CAN PRESUME

GOD LOVES ME

AND WHICHEVER OF MY THOUGHT PROVE TRUE

IF ANY

I KNOW

THAT IN THE MORNING

COMES DAWN AND SUNLIGHT

AND I REST

AND WILL REST

CONTENT

THAT IN HIS GREAT LOVE FOR ME

HE WILL RESCUE ME

AND TAKE ME HOME

FRANK A VOLLMER

FOR OUR SAKE HE BECAME SIN

GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN

TO BE SIN

AND HIS FATHER IN HORROR

REJECTED HIM

LEFT HIM LONELY

AND ABANDONED

LIFE WAS LONG EMPTY HALLS

WITH NO SUNLIGHT

BUT THE FATHER FORGAVE HIM ALL OUR SINS

THE VEIL WAS RENT

THE SHEKINAH

RAINED DOWN BLESSINGS

ON ALL

FATHER AND SON

WERE RECONCILED

THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

FLOWED BETWEEN THEM

DEATH HAD NO MORE STING

THE GRAVE

A PORTAL

TO A BETTER LIFE

FRANK A VOLLMER

Jeremiah 12:2

PERHAPS IT WAS THE POLITICAL

AND SOCIAL CONDITION

OF THE COUNTRY

THAT I LOVE

THIS SELF PROCLAIMED

CHRISTIAN NATION

OF GOD FEARING PEOPLE

I’D BEEN READING JEREMIAH FOR LENT

AND THESE WORDS JUMPED OFF THE PAGE

THE WORDS ARE AND I PARAPHRASE

THEY HAVE GOD ON THEIR LIPS

BUT NOT IN THEIR HEART

WHAT A PERFECT DEFINITION

OF OUR TIMES

GOD ON OUR LIPS

BUT NOT IN OUR HEART

PERHAPS EVERY AGE HAS BEEN THIS WAY

BUT I’M LIVING NOW

AND IT’S WRONG

POLITICIANS WHO ARE FOR SOMETHING

UNTIL THE OTHER SIDE AGREES

THEN THEY ARE AGAINST

NO THOUGHT OF THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE

BUT WHO WINS THE POLITICAL GAME

THEY PRATE ABOUT

PRAYER IN SCHOOLS

GOD IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

WHAT GOD

CAN IT ONLY BE JESUS

HAVE CHRISTIANS

WON THE RIGHT

BY CONDUCT

AND SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS

WHEN CHILDREN NEED THE SCHOOL LUNCH

FOR THEIR ONE HOT MEAL

THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR PARENTS

WHO ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY CAN

FOR MINIMUM WAGE

WHERE IS JUSTICE

WHEN SENIOR CITIZENS

MUST CHOOSE

BETWEEN FOOD AND MEDICINE

AND THE ALIEN

IN OUR MIDST

HOW HAVE WE TREATED HIM

THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT

ARE REPLETE

WITH THE DIRECTIVE

THAT THE UNFORTUNATE

ARE OUR PRIMARY CONCERN

NOT POWER

NOT WEALTH

THE UNFORTUNATE

IS CHRIST NOT DYING DAILY

IN FACE OF THESE

AND OTHER TRAGEDIES

IS NOT THIS WHAT CHRIST FELT

AS HIS LIFE EBBED OUT

HIS VISION FAILED

THE COOLNESS OF A DYING DAY

SETTLING ON HIM

THE CLOUDS THICKENING

THE WIND BLOWING

MOTHER GIVEN AWAY

HE CRIES

I’M LONELY

DIES AND SAVES US

KNOWING OUR IMPERFECTIONS

OUR DEAF EARS TO HIS CRY

THIS IS OUR TIME

AND OUR TASK

TO SAY

WITH YOUR HELP

I AM WITH YOU

TO BRING ABOUT

WHAT YOU DIED FOR

FRANK A VOLLMER