BEAUTY (Psalm 19)

FORGET IF YOU WILL
THE HAVOC CAUSED BY THE STORM
AND SEE A WORLD COATED IN CRYSTAL
TREES
SHRUBS
BUILDINGS
FENCES
ALL COATED IN CRYSTAL
AS THE WIND AND THE SUN COME UP
THE ICE MELTS AND DROPS
MAKING FAIRY SOUNDS AS IT LANDS

I WANT TO SAY
IT’S LIKE GRACE
 COVERING AN UGLY TREE

BUT I’M PUSHING THE SIMILE TOO FAR

I DON’T BELIEVE IN UGLY TREES
BUT WINTER TREES
THAT SHOW THE SCARS OF SURVIVAL

A THING OF BEAUTY
IS A JOY FOREVER
SO SINGS THE POET KEATS

BUT THERE ARE OTHER BEAUTIES
THE MESS OF BIRTH
AND PROCREATION

WRINKLES ON A OLD PERSON’S FACE

A FAMILY GATHERED AROUND A DEATH BED
AND THE DEATH

BUT AS FOR NOW
THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE WORKS OF NATURE
AND I SEE THE HAND OF GOD


FRANK A VOLLMER

(Matthew 27:5) JUDAS

FROM THE MOMENT OF LEAPING
TO THE END OF THE ROPE
HE CRIED
JESUS FORGIVE ME FOR MY SUGH

LATER WHEN JESUS VISITED
THE DEAD
ALL THOSE WHO HAD WAITED
 FOR A MESSIAH

HE MET HIS FATHER
KINGS AND PROPHETS
ORDINARY PEOPLE
WHO DIED LONGING

HE HAD COME TO
PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS

HE HAD COME TO TAKE THEM HOME

AT THE BACK OF THE CROWD
HEAD DOWN OUT OF SHAME
ROPE MARKS ON HIS NECK

HE SAID
I HAVE GRIEVOUSLY SINNED

BUT JESUS SAID
I HAVE DIED
LET’S GO HOME


FRANK A VOLLMER

(Mathew 25:31-46) THREE BLACK MEN

THREE BLACK MEN

HANGING FROM A TREE

THE SHERIFF SAID

LOOKS LIKE SUICIDE TO ME

THREE BLACK GIRLS

SINGING IN THE CHOIR

A BOMB GOES OFF

NOW THEY SING HIGHER

THREE CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

SITTING IN A FORD

VIGILANTES CAME BY

NOW THEY’RE WITH THE LORD

BLACK MEN

WHITE WOMEN

NO NONONO NO

WHITE MEN

BLACK WOMEN

IT’S GOOD YOU KNOW

BLACK SOLDIER

FIGHT TO MAKE THE WORLD FREE

COME HOME TO FIND

MODERN SLAVERY

YOUNG CHILD

COMING FROM THE STORE

HE LOOKS SUSPICIOUS

NOW HE IS NO MORE

FRANK A VOLLMER

(Genesis 4:9) Trayvon Martin

HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY SON
SOMEONE I WOULD CARE ABOUT
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY SON
OR FRIEND
INSTEAD HE WAS A STRANGER
SHOULD IT MATTER
A LIFE UNTIMELY STOPPED
FOR REASONS THAT HAVE NO REASON

WE TEACHERS OF RELIGION
HOW WE HAVE FAILED
SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL
THAT GOD
IS CHRISTIAN
WHITE
AMERICAN

WITH THE ARROGANCE OF THE ISRAELITES
WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN
THAT OUR CONDUCT
IS NOT SUBJECTED TO QUESTION

WE ARE SUPERIOR

HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY SON
HE WASN’T
BUT UNDER THE FATHERSHIP OF GOD
HE WAS MY BROTHER


FRANK A VOLLMER

(Matthew 25: 35-40) GOD'S WORLD

I SOMETIMES WONDER

DO WE PRACTICE RELIGION

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE

OR BECAUSE

IT MAKES US RESPECTABLE

WE BELIEVE WITH RELIGIOUS FERVOR

THAT WE SHOULDN’T HELP THE HOMELESS

ESPECIALLY THOSE SCARRED BY WAR

WHICH WAR

WE CHEERED THEM WHEN THEY WENT

OR HELP SINGLE PARENTS

BY DIVORCE

WAR

DEATH

THEY’RE NOT WORTHY

BECAUSE THEY ARE NEEDY

TAX THE POOR

EXCUSE THE WEALTHY

MAKE RETIREMENT A HORROR

NOT A PEACEFUL SUNSET

I AM REMINDED

OF AN INCIDENT

WHICH HAPPENED IN NEWFOUNDLAND

MY MOTHER’S BIRTHPLACE

THE FISHING WAS BAD

THE OWNERS OF THE FISHING FLEET

TO CUT THE WORKERS WAGES

THEIR REPLY WAS NO

DO YOU INCREASE THEIR WAGES

IN GOOD TIMES

OR CUT YOUR OWN WAGES

WITH THE WORKERS

ECHOES OF MODERN TIMES

WORKERS ASKED TO CUT WAGES

CEOS MAKE MILLIONS

IF WE PROTEST

WE’RE TOLD IT’S SOME KIND OF ISM

SOME KIND OF CLASS WARFARE

I DON’T THINK A HUNGRY MAN CARES

GOD CALLS HIMSELF

FATHER OF THE POOR

HE RECOGNIZES OUR TENDENCY

TO IMPOVERISH ALL BUT US

HE RECOGNIZES THIS TENDENCY OF OURS

WHEN HE SAYS

THE POOR ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU

IS SUCH A WORLD GOD’S PLAN

FRANK A VOLLMER

(Psalm 30:5) WITH MORNING COMES A CHOICE

I HAVE CRIED THE NIGHT

SOAKED MY PILLOW WITH SORROW

WITH MORNING COMES A CHOICE

TO CONTINUE TO BAY AT THE MOON

TO HOWL AT A HEAVEN I DON'T THINK CARES

BUT WITH MORNING COMES A CHOICE

TO PRAY FOR HEALING

TO BECOME WHAT I ONCE WAS

LEPROSY CLEANSED

TO PRAY FOR DEATH

THE ULTIMATE DEATH

LEPROSY CLEANSED

TO ACCEPT THE THIRD CHOICE

THAT LEPROSY WILL NEVER GO AWAY

MAY FADE

COME BACK

FADE

COME BACK

BUT NEVER GO AWAY

TO FINE JOY IN ACCEPTING

THE ONE LEGGED MAN IN HOPPING

THE MUTE IN BODILY EXULTATION

THE BLIND IN THE BEAUTY OF THE MORNING

WHERE JOY COMES

FRANK A VOLLMER

ELEPHANT'S GRAVEYARD

WHEN I WAS A BOY

IN THE DIM RECESSES OF HISTORY

SPONSORED BY TARZAN

AND GREAT WHITE HUNTER MOVIES

THAT THERE WAS A PLACE

WHERE ELEPHANTS WENT TO DIE

IF FOUND

IT WOULD BE A RICH FIND

BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE MUCH IVORY

IT WAS NEVER FOUND

IT DIDN’T EXIST

BUT WHAT DOES EXIST

IS THIS HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM

WHERE GATHER

THE HALT AND LAME

THE VISIBLE SICK

THE

I WONDER WHAT’S WRONG WITH HIM

THOSE WHO EYES ARE BRIGHT WITH LIGHT

THOSE WHOSE EYES SEE DISTANT SHORES

BUT FEW OF THEM WANT TO DIE

I’M REMINDED OF B-17S

WHICH CAME BACK FROM MISSIONS

SHOT UP

WOUNDED INSIDE

OIL LEAKING

ENGINE STALLED

BUT MAKING IT TO BASE

NOT ALL

BUT NO LACK OF TRYING

SO THERE IS NO GRAVEYARD HERE

BUT A PLACE

WHERE WE ASK THE HEALING ANGEL

TO HELP THE DOCTOR

NURSE

TECHNICIAN

CLERGY

HELP US MAKE IT BACK TO BASE