CAROLINA SINGERMAN

WITH MORNING COMES A CHOICE

2012-02-12T18:03:00.002-05:00

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

2012-02-02T21:20:00.000-05:00

WHEN I WAS A BOY

IN THE DIM RECESSES OF HISTORY

BORROWED TIME

2012-01-27T09:51:00.002-05:00

BORROWED TIME

IN CLASSICAL ROMAN

AND GRECIAN TIMES

THEY BELIEVED

IN THREE GODS NAMED

THE FATES

A TRIO OF SISTERS

WHO WERE CHARGED

WITH THE THREAD OF LIFE

ONE

CLOTHO WAS THE SPINNER OF THE THREAD

ONE

LACHESIS WAS THE MEASURER OF THE THREAD

ONE

ATROPOS CUTS THE THREAD TO AN APPOINTED LENGTH

THERE WAS NO APPEAL

IN JAPAN

THE CHARACTER FOR THE WORDS THE END

AS FOUND IN MOVIES AND BOOKS

IS MADE UP OF TWO CHARACTERS

ONE IS A HOUSE IN WINTER

WITH ICICLES ON THE ROOF

ONE IS AN EMPTY THREAD SPOOL

TOGETHER

IN POETIC EASTERN IMAGERY

IT MEANS

THE WINTER OF THE THREAD

THE END

IT IS FINISHED

YOU’RE LIVING ON BORROWEED TIME

THE DOCTOR SAID

YOU’RE LIVING ON BORROWED TIME

THE MEDICINE IS KEEPING YOU ALIVE

ODD SAYING

IS THERE A BANK

WHERE HE CAN BORROW TIME

PERHAPS FROM RELATIVES WHO DIED UNTIMELY

OR VICTIMS OF WAR RIPPED UNTIMELY

OR FROM CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN

NEVER TO LAUGH BUT DIE EARLY

THE SAYING DOESN’T HOLD UP

TIME NOT USED IS TIME GONE

IN ANCIENT EGYPT

ENTRANCE INTO PARADISE

WAS BASED ON WHETHER YOUR HEART

PLACED ON A SCALE AGAINST A FEATHER

WEIGHED LESS THAN THE FEATHER

BEFORE THE WEIGHING

THE SUPPLICANT

JUSTIFIED HIMSELF

WITH THESE WORDS

1. I have not done iniquity.

2. I have not robbed with violence.

3. I have not stolen.

4. I have done no murder; I have done no harm.

5. I have not defrauded offerings.

6. I have not diminished obligations.

7. I have not plundered the neteru (gods).

8. I have not spoken lies.

9. I have not uttered evil words.

10.I have not caused pain.

11.I have not committed fornication.

12.I have not caused shedding of tears.

13.I have not dealt deceitfully.

14.I have not transgressed.

15.I have not acted guilefully.

16.I have not laid waste the ploughed land.

17.I have not been an eavesdropper.

18.I have not set my lips in motion (against any man).

19.I have not been angry and wrathful except for a just cause.

20.I have not defiled the wife of any man.

21.I have not been a man of anger.

22.I have not polluted myself.

23.I have not caused terror.

24.I have not burned with rage.

25.I have not stopped my ears against the words of Right and Truth. (Ma-at)

26.I have not worked grief.

27.I have not acted with insolence.

28.I have not stirred up strife.

29.I have not judged hastily.

30.I have not sought for distinctions.

31.I have not multiplied words exceedingly.

32.I have not done neither harm nor ill.

33.I have not cursed the King. (i.e. violation of laws)

34.I have not fouled the water.

35.I have not spoken scornfully.

36.I have never cursed the neteru (gods).

37.I have not stolen.

38.I have not defrauded the offerings of the neteru (gods).

39.I have not plundered the offerings of the blessed dead.

40.I have not filched the food of the infant.

41.I have not sinned against the neter (god) of my native town.

42.I have not slaughtered with evil intent the cattle of the neter (god).

SURPRISINGLY LIKE A CHRISTIAN PRAYER

IS HIS HEART LIGHTER THAN A FEATHER

WITH FORGIVENESS FROM GOD

HE KNOWS IT IS

BUT LOOKING BACK

HE KNOWS THAT MANY OF HIS DAYS

WERE NOT ADMIRABLE

BUT THEY ARE FROZEN IN TIME

IMMUTABLE

BUT FORGIVENESS HAS A PRICE

CHANGE

MAKE THE REST OF HIS DAYS BE BETTER

THAN WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE

GOD WILL SMILE AT HIS EFFORTS

AND HIS HEART WILL SOAR

FRANK A VOLLMER

MY GARDEN

2012-01-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

WINTER HAS TOUCHED MY GARDEN

SOME HAVE DIED

SOME ARE DYING

THOSE THAT LIKE WINTER THRIVE

LIKE TRUTHS THAT NEVER CHANGE

WHILE SOME HAVE MANY RESURRECTIONS

OTHER HAVE A BUTTERFLIES FLIGHT

AND DIE

MOST OF US ARE LIKE THE MIDDLE CHILD

LIKE PAUL WE KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO

BUT DON’T DO IT

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

POOR PERFORMANCE

BUT I WAS TALKING ABOUT MY GARDEN

IT’S GOOD TO GIVE IT A SABBATH REST

IT IS GOOD TO KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY

IT IS BETTER TO HAVE IT THE CLIMAX OF A HOLY WEEK

HOW MANY FACES OF FLOWERS

IN MY GARDEN

EACH ONE A UNIQUE CREATION

HOW MANY FACES OF PEOPLE

IN GOD’S GARDEN

EACH A UNIQUE CREATION

SOON SNOW WILL FALL

MY GARDEN WILL SLEEP UNDER A BLANKET

PEACEFUL

GOD GIVE PEACE TO YOUR GARDEN

BUT AS YOUR ASSISTANT

I MUST TEND THE GARDEN

SUMMER AND WINTER

SO THAT IN SPRING

WHEN THE WARMING

GENTLE BREEZE BLOWS

MY GARDEN MAY GROW

MAY THE PERFUME OF THE GARDEN

RISE

LIKE INCENSE BEFORE YOU

MAY MEN SEE THE BEAUTY OF THE GARDEN

AND LIVE ACCORDINGLY

FRANK A VOLLMER

BABI YAR

2012-01-14T11:35:00.000-05:00

THEY RAN TO THE RAVINE

TO STAND AMONG THE DEAD

WHICH THEY SOON JOINED

IF THEY LOOKED UP

THEY ONLY SAW HATEFUL FACES

IF THEY COULD HEAR

ABOVE THE WAILING

THEY HEARD CHRIST KILLERS

AND OTHER NON CHURCH LIKE SAYINGS

THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT

THAT JEWS WERE CHRIST KILLERS

THEY LIVED OUT THEIR FAITH

THEY FELT JUSTIFIED

SO THAT GROUP AFTER GROUP

OF CHRISTS WERE SLAUGHTERED

YOUNG

OLD

MALE

FEMALE

IT DIDN’T MATTER

THEY FELT LIKE

THEY WERE EXTERMINATING

BUGS

SO THEY KILLED BOTH LARVA

AND MATURE INSECTS

THEY FELT LIKE

THEY WERE EXTERMINATING

THINGS

THAT HAD NO RIGHT TO EXIST

THEN THEY SAT IN CHURCH

HEARING THE SERMON

LITTLE CHILDREN

LOVE ON ANOTHER

I WONDER

IF THEY CALLED TO MIND

A MISQUOTE OF JEREMIAH

IF ONLY

THEY HAD KILLED ME

WHILE I WAS IN THE WOMB

THEN MY MOTHER

WOULD HAVE BEEN MY GRAVE

SHE WOULD ALWAYS

HAVE BEEN WITH CHILD

WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF IT

JUDGING PEOPLE LESS THAN WE ARE

BE IT WEALTH

KNOWLEDGE

RACE

FAITH

ANYTHING WHICH MAKES THEM DIFFERENT FROM US

BUT CHRIST IS THE ULTIMATE OTHER

WE ARE ALL SUBSERVIENT TO HIM

HIS WORDS ARE

CLOSE UP BABI YAR

LET THE GRASS GROW

NEVER DO IT AGAIN

FRANK A VOLLMER

OY VEY

2012-01-07T20:31:00.000-05:00

I THINK I READ IT SOMEWHERE

BUT I CAN’T REMEMBER WHERE

I’VE CHECKED THE RESEARCH BOOKS

AND CANNOT FIND IT

THE THOUGHT THAT ASPERGES

AND ASPARAGUS

ARE LINKED

OY VEY

ASPERGES

AS IN ASPERGES ME

THE NAME OF A BLESSING RITE

WHERE THE FAITHFUL ARE SPRINKLED

WITH WATER

AS A SIGN OF THEIR BAPTISM

WHILE THE WORDS FROM PSALM 50:9

OR PSALM 51:7

ARE SAID

PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP

AND I SHALL BE CLEAN

WASH ME

AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW

THE JEWS AND THE CATHOLICS

HAVE PSALM 50

PROTESTANTS HAVE PSALM 51

OY VEY

THE HISTORY OF THE WORD ASPARAGUS

GOES FROM MIDDLE LATIN

TO GREEK

TO PERSIAN

WITH THE BASIC MEANING

OF SHOOT OR STEM

DESCRIBING ITS GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS

BUT IT’S ITS MEDICINAL QUALITIES

THAT INTEREST US

IT IS BOTH A DIURETIC

BLOOD CLEANSER

LAXATIVE

IT CLEANSED THE BODY OF IMPURITIES

HYSSOP MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE

WAS A CLEANSING AGENT

USED TO CLEANSE THE TEMPLE

AND HOMES

IT WAS ALSO USED AS A PURGATIVE

IN THE MIGRATION OF WORDS

FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE

A NAME OFTEN CARRIES WITH IT

NO ONLY A NAME OF A THING

BUT ALSO ITS ACTIONS

SO WHEN THE AUTHOR OF PS 50(51)

CRIES OUT IN REMORSE

HE USES CONCEPTS

CURRENT IN HIS TIME

HE ASKS FOR A DIURETIC

BLOOD CLEANSER

LAXATIVE

THIS IS NOT A GOD TEA PARTY EXPERIENCE

BUT A GUT WRENCHING CRY OF SORROW

HE SAYS IN THE KJV

WHICH THE JEWS FIND CLOSER TO THE HEBREW BIBLE

HE SAYS

⁶BEHOLD

THOU DESIREST TRUTH

IN THE INWARD PARTS

AND IN THE HIDDEN PART

THOU SHALT MAKE ME

TO KNOW WISDOM.

PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP

AND I SHALL BE CLEAN:

WASH ME,

AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW

THE WORD FOR WASHING

IS THE SAME AS USED FOR CLOTHING

WHICH WERE CLEANED USING STONES

THE SINNER WANTS THE EXTERIOR MAN

PUNISHED FOR HIS SINS

HE ALSO WANTS THE INTERIOR MAN PURGED

SO WHEN JEROME

TRANSLATED THE BIBLE

INTO COMMON LATIN

NOT THE LANGUAGE OF SCHOLARS

BUT THE PLEBIAN CLASS

HE USED COMMON IMAGERY

SO WHEN HE SAID

PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP

HE ENCOMPASSED ALL I’VE MENTIONED ABOVE

SO HE TRANSLATED THE PSALM

AS SUCH

Asparges me hysopo et mundabor lavabis me et super nivem dealbabor

PURGE ME WITH HYSSOP

AND I SHALL BE CLEAN

WASH ME

AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW

FRANK A VOLLMER

2012-01-03T10:03:00.000-05:00

“Jim, Christianity has nothing to do with racism.”

That's what my church elder told me when I was a 15-year-old boy. Can you believe that? “That's political, and our faith is personal,” he said.

That's the night I left my church.

Jim Wallis
President and CEO, Sojourners

(a magazine dedicated to faith in action for social justice)

Come Lord Jesus

I hope when all the sentimentality of Christmas is over

That Jesus receives in his stocking

Real food not pap

That men need each other to survive

That the social gospel

Is the gospel

Not an addendum

As we gather in warm churches

Many are cold

As we receive the lord

Many are hungry

As we showoff our Christmas finery

Many are naked

As we celebrate family

Many are lonely

As we think of a child forced to flee to Egypt

Many will not accept the stranger in our midst

We have been taught a narrow image of religion

So that many wonder what happened to the message of Christ

The straw in the manger is prickly

So should be our conscience

Come lord Jesus

Really come

Not as we imagine

But really come

Frank A Vollmer

HASTE (LUKE 2:8-20)

2012-01-02T20:26:00.001-05:00

THERE’S A CORNY BIBLE JOKE

THAT GOES

THE SHEPHERDS AT BETHLEHEM HAD A DOG

NAMED HASTE

BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS

THE SHEPHERDS WENT WITH HASTE

TO BETHLEHEM

TO SEE WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE

CORNY BUT I LIKE IT

NOT TOO FAR AFIELD

TO SAY THERE WAS A DOG PRESENT

OR EVEN DOGS

THEY WERE USEFUL HERDING SHEEP

THEY OFTEN JUST LAY OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE OF SHEEP

THEIR PRESENCE

KEEPING THE SHEEP SAFE INSIDE

OFTEN THEY FACED OFF PREDATORS

THAT ROAMED LIKE HUNGRY LIONS

SEEKING WHOM THEY MAY DEVOUR

SOMETIMES THE SHEPHERD

LEFT THEM TO GUARD THE FLOCK

WHILE THEY SOUGHT LOST SHEEP

MAYBE THEY WERE NAMED HASTE

BUT MORE LIKELY THEY WERE CALLED

BARBARA

FRANK

HANK

PAT

SCOTT

DIANE

LEFT BY THE SHEPHERD

WHEN HE WENT AWAY

TO GUARD THE FLOCK BY EXAMPLE

TO TEACH THEM LIMITS

BY RESISTING WHAT WOULD HARM THEM

BY STANDING WATCH AT NIGHT

A WARM PRESENCE

WHEN THE NIGHT WAS COLD

WHEN ALL THEY COULD DO WAS BE THERE

HASTE WAS HAPPY TO BE USEFUL

WORKING WITH HIS MASTER

GUARDING THE SHEEP

THE MASTER GUARDING BOTH THEM

AND HIM

FRANK A VOLLMER

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

2011-12-29T19:54:00.000-05:00

SUPPOSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY

THAT THE BIBLE IS THE UNERRING WORD OF GOD

FOR SOME OF YOU

CREATION TOOK SEVEN DAYS

THAT GOD SPOKE THE KING JAMES VERSION

THAT THE NAME OF THE BIBLE BOOKS

ARE THE NAMES OF THE AUTHORS

THAT ANY ANOMALIES ARE THE FAULT OF THE READER

NOT THE BOOK

IN THIS MOST CHRISTIAN COUNTRY

DECLARE THIS BOOK TO BE SACRED

AND THE BASIS OF OUR BELIEF

WE WANT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

POSTED IN OUR PUBLIC PLACES

PRAYER IN SCHOOL

AS LONG AS IT’S THE CHRISTIAN GOD

BUT WHY SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN VIEW HAVE PRIORITY

IS IT BETTER

WHERE IS THE PROOF IN THE PUDDING

AVARICE IN THE MARKET PLACE

UNJUSTIFIED WAR

ONE LAW FOR THE RICH

ONE FOR THE POOR

HATRED FOR THE STRANGER

IN OUR MIDST

THE LIST GOES ON

ALL OF THEM CLEARLY CONDEMNED IN THE BOOK

WE ARE A NATION OF HYPOCRITES

WE ARE LIKE THE GOD JANUS

ONE FACE FOR THE PUBLIC

ONE FOR OUR REAL SELVES

NOT LOOKING BACK TO SEE WHERE WE ERRED

THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO NOT REPEAT THE ERRORS

WE SHOULD

TO PARAPHRASE THE VERNACULAR

PUT OUR BELIEFS INTO OUR ACTIONS

IF THE BIBLE IS GOD’S UNERRING WORD

WE SHOULD DO MORE THAN LISTEN

OR PARROT KEY PHRASES

WE SHOULD OBSERVE THE WORD

AND LIVE IT

FRANK A VOLLMER

COME LORD JESUS

2011-12-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

“Jim, Christianity has nothing to do with racism.”

That's what my church elder told me when I was a 15-year-old boy. Can you believe that? “That's political, and our faith is personal,” he said.

That's the night I left my church.

Jim Wallis
President and CEO, Sojourners

(a magazine dedicated to faith in action for social justice)

Come Lord Jesus

I hope when all the sentimentality of Christmas is over

That Jesus receives in his stocking

Real food not pap

That men need each other to survive

That the social gospel

Is the gospel

Not an addendum

As we gather in warm churches

Many are cold

As we receive the lord

Many are hungry

As we showoff our Christmas finery

Many are naked

As we celebrate family

Many are lonely

As we think of a child forced to flee to Egypt

Many will not accept the stranger in our midst

We have been taught a narrow image of religion

So that many wonder what happened to the message of Christ

The straw in the manger is prickly

So should be our conscience

Come lord Jesus

Really come

Not as we imagine

But really come

Frank A Vollmer

GETTING RELIGION

2011-12-18T14:12:00.001-05:00

MY DOG IS GETTING RELIGION

HE ATE THE BABY JESUS OUT OF THE MANGER

THE SHEPHERDS WERE TENDING THEIR SHEEP

THE WISE MEN WERE LOOKING FOR A STAR

MARY AND JOSEPH FELL OVER IN AWE

AND JESUS WENT DOWN THE DOG’S GULLET

I LOOKED FOE CHANGES

IN MY POOCH’S BEHAVIOR

SAW NONE

HE STILL SHED

SLOBBERED HIS WATER

NEEDED TO BE WALKED

WHERE HE SALUTED EVERY TREE AS USUAL

BUT THEN HE DIDN’T HAVE TO LEARN

HOW TO BE TRUSTWORTHY

AND FAITHFUL

A FOLK LEGEND

SAYS

THAT A DOG’S LIFE IS SHORT

BECAUSE EVERYONE LIVES LONG ENOUGH

TO BECOME LOYAL AND TRUSTWORTHY

IF THEY TRY

DOGS LEARN FASTER

IN FACT

A COMMON NAME FOR DOGS

USED TO BE

FIDO

LATIN FOR I TRUST

GOD HAS BEEN CALLED

THE HOUND FROM HEAVEN

HE WILL PURSUE YOU

TIRELESSLY

TO LAY AT YOUR FEET

THE BABY JESUS

THAT HE MAY BECOME

YOURS

FRANK A VOLLMER

CODE IN THE NODE

2011-12-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

I HAVE A CODE IN THE NODE

MY NODE LOOKS LIKE A NIGHT OF DRINKING

I’M THE EAST COAST DISTRIBUTOR

OF MALAISE AND MAL DE TETE

I’M ON DRUGS THAT WOULD KILL A HORSE

THAT’S BECAUSE I’VE GOT A COLT

THAT’S THE MANE REASON I’M SICK

THIS STALLION IS ILLY

THAT’S KIND OF SILLY

MY NOSE IS WINNING THE RACE

IT’S RUNNING AT WHIM

OVER MY CHIN

IT’S PUDDLING ALL OVER THE FLOOR

I’D REALLY BE THANKY

FOR THE LOAN OF A HANKY

MINE ARE ALL USED UP

WOULD YOU BELIEVE

I’M USING MY SLEEVE

BUT I’M WEARING A SLEEVELESS SHIRT

NOW LET ME PRATTLE

ABOUT MY CHEST RATTLE

THE COUGHING THE COUGHING THE COUGH

I SOUND JUST THE SAME

AS AN OLD FASHIONED TRAIN

CHUGGING AND CHUGGING AND CHUG

LET’S ALL LIGHT A CANDLE

DO THE CHICKEN BONE DANCE

ANYTHING TO MAKE ME FEEL WELL

I PROBABLY SHOULD YELL OUT

UNCLEAN UNCLEAN

I FEEL LIKE A LEPER

AND LOOK LIKE ONE TWO

I HAVE A CODE IN THE NODE

FRANK A VOLLMER

HISTORY/STORY (BIRTH NARRATIVES)

2011-12-09T17:15:00.000-05:00

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN

DID MAGI COME BRINGING GIFTS

DID SHEPHERDS LEAVE THEIR FLOCK

DID SOLDIERS SLAY CHILDREN FOR A KING

DID THEY HAVE TO FLEE TO EGYPT

SOME SAY YES

THE BIBLE IS HISTORY

SOME SAY NO

THE BIBLE IS STORY

BUT WHATEVER WAY IT HAPPENED

YES OR NO

OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

A CHILD WAS BORN

MIRACLE ENOUGH IN ITSELF

BY LEAP OF FAITH

THAT CHILD IS GOD

THERE IS NO NEED FOR STORY

BUT DO WE LIVE

AS ONE

WHOM CHRIST WALKED AMONG

TAUGHT

DIED

ROSE

LEFT IN BODY

BUT HIS SPIRIT REMAINS

OR ARE WE STILL

AT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS

BEING SERVED SWEETNESS

WHEN WE NEED MEAT

HAS THE WONDER OF THE INCARNATION

CHANGED US

THAT EVERY MAN HAS DIGNITY

BECAUSE CHRIST DID NOT THINK

IT BELOW HIS DIGNITY

TO BE COME ONE

SO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR

THERE IS A CHILD THAT NEEDS NOURISHING

AND HIS FOOD

IS LOVE AND SERVICE

FRANK A VOLLMER

CHRISTMAS TRIO BY FRANK A VOLLMER

2011-11-29T21:38:00.001-05:00

WHERE IS MESSIAH

IN POLAND

IN WARSAW

IN THE JEWISH CEMETERY

IN ONE OF THE TOMBS

A WOMAN GAVE BIRTH

HER ONLY ATTENDANT

THE CARETAKER

WHO WAS HIDING TOO

HE SAID

PERHAPS THIS ONE IS THE MESSIAH

BORN SO LOWLY

DESPISED

AND SPIT UPON

PERHAPS HE IS THE MESSIAH

THE CHRISTIAN MESSIAH

HAS BROUGHT US NO PEACE

BUT HE WATCHED HIS DREAM FADE

AS THE CHILD

SUCKED ON HIS MOTHER’S TEARS

HER BREASTS WERE DRY

THE CHILD

SUCKED ON HIS MOTHER’S TEARS

AND DIED

EVENTUALLY

THEY WERE FOUND

AND WENT UP IN SMOKE

THE NEARBY VILLAGERS

SMELLED THE SMOKE

AND KNEW WHAT IT WAS

THEIR HOMES STANK OF IT

THEY CALLED IT

JEWISH PERFUME

IN A WORLD

STILL PLAGUED

BY WAR

HUNGER

AND HATRED

CAN WE NOT SAY

WHERE IS MESSIAH

FRANK A VOLLMER

SNOW

FIFTEEN THOUSAND CHILDREN

WERE INCARCERATED

IN TEREZIN CONCENTRATION CAMP

ONLY ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO

OF THOSE CHILDREN

WERE KNOWN TO HAVE SURVIVED

LIKE SNOW THEY FELL

GRAY SNOWFLAKES

BLANKING ALL AS SNOW WILL

THEY WERE BITS OF SKIN

INCINERATED SKIN

THAT THE CHIMNEYS

BELCHED FORTH

LIKE A SNOW MACHINE

ON A SKI SLOPE

BUT SNOW NEVER SMELT

LIKE BURNT FLESH

SNOW WAS WHITE

LIKE THE FAUX SNOW

AROUND THE CRÈCHE

WHERE THE CHRIST CHILD LAY

BEING SERENADED

WITH STILLE NACHT

THE CHRIST CHILD

THE KING OF THE JEWS

WHILE HS SUBJECTS

WENT UP IN SMOKE

SILENT NIGHT

WHILE HIS SUBJECTS

SCREAMED LOUDLY

WHEN THE SHOWER TURNED DEADLY

CAN WE BLAME THOSE

WHO CREATED THIS SHOAH

CERTAINLY

BUT TO BE FAIR

WE SHOULD ALSO BLAME THE CHURCH

THAT PREACHED CHRIST KILLERS

FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS

RELIGION

WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO HELP MAN

LIVE IN RELATION

TO HIS BROTHERS

SO OFTEN

SHOWS HATE

IN FACT

THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SQUABBLE

WAS WHEN CAIN KILLED ABEL

THE JEWS WERE CONSIDERED

A NON-PEOPLE

CURSED BY GOD

THEY WERE A HANDY SCAPEGOAT

WHEN THINGS WENT BAD

FROM INDIVIDUALS UP TO THE STATE

THEY WERE SCAPEGOATS

WHEN THINGS WENT WRONG

THEY WERE THE LEAST

IN CONTRADICTION TO CHRIST TEACHING

THEY WERE NOT TREATED KINDLY

BUT AS CHRIST’S BODY

THEY WERE

BEATEN

STARVED

KILLED

BURNT

WHILE PIOUSITIES

POURED OUT

FROM PULPITS

THIS IS MY BODY

FLOATING IN THE AIR LIKE SNOW

THIS IS MY BLOOD

BEATEN FROM MY BODY

AND THE EARTH CRIES OUT

WHO IS MY BROTHER

RACHAEL'S CHILDREN

IS THERE EVER A GOOD TIME

FOR GOD TO BE BORN

IS THERE EVER A TIME

THAT WILL NOT CAUSE PAIN

HE OFTEN THOUGHT THESE THOUGHTS

SITTING WITH THE WOMEN

WHOSE CHILDREN

HEROD HAD SLAIN

A THING HE DID OFTEN

ON HIS BIRTHDAY

OH NOW THEY WERE CONSOLED

YEARS AND A LIFE LATER

DON'T COME THE TEMPTER HAD SAID

OILY VOICED AS USUAL

PRAISING EVIL NOT AS BAD BUT GOOD

OR EXPEDIENT

DON'T COME NOW

BUT THE EARTH WAS GROANING IN LABOR

AS THE EARTH

IS ALWAYS GROANING IN LABOR

THERE IS ALWAYS NEED

FOR GOD TO BE BORN

SO THE WOMEN WERE CONTENT

TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE

BUT EACH ONE FELT

A HOLLOWNESS OF YEARS

THAT HE COULD

BUT COULD NOT FILL

NOR CALL BACK

THE WAIL OF RACHEL

FOR HER CHILDREN

GOATS AND LAMBS (CHRIST THE KING)

2011-11-20T20:33:00.000-05:00

THE GOATS WERE BROUGHT INTO THE BARN

AFTER THEIR DAY IN THE FIELD

THEY COULDN’T STAND THE COLD

BUT THE SHEEP REMAINED OUTSIDE

WARM IN THEIR COAT

MILKING THE GOAT WAS WOMEN’S WORK

A DEBAUCHED WOMEN WAS CALLED A GOAT

THE GOATS WERE BLACK

THE SHEEP WOOL WHITE

THE GOATS WERE PROMISCUOUS

THEY SHARED THEIR MATES

THE SHEEP DID NOT

OUT OF ALL THIS FOLKLORE

JESUS SPUN A TALE

USING IMAGES THE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD

HE STARTS BY SAYING

THE KING COMES IN GLORY

SO CRITICAL IN THE EAST

THE DEMAND FOR RESPECT

SO HE COMES IN GLORY

AND SITS ON THE GLORY THRONE

COMMANDING RESPECT

AS BEFITS A KING

AND TELLS A COMMON STORY

OF SEPARATING SHEEP FROM GOATS

SEPARATING THE GOOD

FROM THE INDIFFERENT

THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY BAD

THE GOATS

THEY WERE INDIFFERENT

AND SAID TO THE SHEEP

WHO WERE CARING

AND HUDDLED TOGETHER FOR WARMTH

COME INTO THE KINGDOM

I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU

AND I’LL SHALL BE YOUR SHEPHERD

FRANK A VOLLMER

TSELEM

2011-11-13T21:47:00.000-05:00

IN THE HEBREW BIBLE

WHEN GOD SAYS

LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE

THE AUTHOR

USES THE HEBREW WORD

TSELEM

WHICH MEANS COPY

CLOSE BUT NOT THE ORIGINAL

ECHOES OF PSALM EIGHT

YOU HAVE MADE HIM LITTLE LESS

THAN A GOD

HE HAS GIVEN YOU A WORLD

TO RUN

IN A GODLIKE MANNER

TO DO OTHERWISE

IS TO MISS THE MARK

TO SIN

NO HUMAN BEING

IS UNIMPORTANT

GOD THOUGHT HE WAS SO IMPORTANT

HE CREATED THE UNIVERSE

ALL THAT’S IN IT FOR HIM

HOW CAN WE TREAT HIM

AS IF HE WERE UNIMPORTANT

WHEN GOD GAVE HIM DOMINION

OVER THE MOON

THE STARS

IN THE EARLY STORIES

IN THE BIBLE

GOD SEEMS TO BE A LEARNING PARENT

AS WHEN

A MOTHER AT CHRISTMAS TIME

TELLS HER CHILDREN

DO NOT LOOK FOR PRESENTS IN MY BEDROOM

YAHWEH

PLANTS A TREE IN THE GARDEN

A TREE THAT KNOWS EVERYTHING

GOOD AND BAD

THE FRUIT OF THE TREE IS FORBIDDEN

WE KNOW THE RESULT

BEFORE THE FALL MAN WAS WITHOUT GUILE

BUT WAS THERE LOVE ON ADAM’S PART

NO PAIN ON ADAM’S PART

NO AGONY OR ECSTASY ON ADAMS PART

MAYBE GOD IN HIS WISDOM

WANTED REAL LOVE

I SPEAK FOOLISHLY NOW

MAYBE

HE WANTED ADAM TO FAIL

SO THAT HIS LOVE

WOULD BE GENUINE

FREELY GIVEN

ADAM’S FALL

BROUGHT GREAT EVIL

TO THE WORLD

BUT IT ALSO WAS A FELIX CULPA

A HAPPY FAULT

THAT BROUGHT A SAVIOR

MAN

BECAUSE HE WAS LITTLE LESS THAN AN ANGEL

COULD HATE GOD GREATLY

AND SIN DEEPLY

MAN

BECAUSE HE WAS LITTLE LESS THAN AN ANGEL

COULD LOVE GOD GREATLY

AND ACT MAGNIFICENTLY

FREE WILL GOD GAVE US

HE HAS PAID THE PRICE

AS A MOTHER

WHO FINDS THE PRESENTS UNWRAPPED

THE ANTICIPATED JOY GONE

BUT WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE

HE LOVES US TO THE POINT OF DEATH

FRANK A VOLLMER

MAKE ROOM

2011-11-08T16:55:00.000-05:00

IN MEDIEVAL

JEWISH

MYSTICISM

THERE AROSE AN IDEA

THAT SINCE GOD WAS EVERYWHERE

HE HAD TO MAKE ROOM FOR HIS CREATION

SO A WORLD WAS CREATED

WHERE GOD WAS NOT

HE HAD TO BE INVITED IN

A LOGICAL THOUGHT

FOR A RACE

BRANDED CHRIST KILLERS

WHO COULD BE KILLED

WITH IMPUNITY

MUCH LIKE LYNCHINGS

IN THE STATES

THEY PRAYED FOR A MESSIAH TO COME

TO THEIR GODLESS EARTH

WITHOUT CONSIDERING

THE THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

IT’S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT

THAT CHRIST HAS TO BE ASKED

TO COME TO A WORLD

WHICH HE CREATED

THAT HE MUST BE INVITED IN

EVEN THOUGH HE LURKS BY

HE MUST BE INVITED IN

THE CREATURE MUST GIVE

THE CREATOR PERMISSION

OR NOT

GOD GAVE THE CREATURE

CREATION

TO RUN AS HE SAW FIT

TO MAKE HIS OWN MISTAKES

TO STRUGGLE

AND SUCCEED

TO MAKE HIS FATHER PROUD

TO FAIL

TO MAKE HIS FATHER SAD

TO SHUT

THE DOOR IN HIS FACE

MYSTICS

ARE LIKE POETS

THEY SEE THINGS THAT AREN’T THERE

IMAGES IN A CRACKED MIRROR

VISIONARIES OF WHAT COULD BE

SHOULD BE

FRAIL HUMANS

WHO THINK IN DREAMS

OF A LAND NOT REAL

BUT COULD BE

YOUR YOUNG MEN

WILL DREAM DREAMS

YOUR OLD MEN

WILL HAVE VISIONS

AND GOD WILL BE A WELCOME GUEST

AT OUR TABLE

FRANK A VOLLMER

NO INVITE FOR PAUL

2011-11-02T20:32:00.000-04:00

I HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH PAUL

NOTHING NEW THERE

HE’S NOT MY FAVORITE PERSON

I’D NEVER INVITE HIM TO MY PARTY

HE’D BE ARGUMENTATIVE

DEFENSIVE

IN YOUR FACE

ALWAYS RIGHT

HE REMINDS OF THE KID

WHO TOLD THE TEACHER

SHE FORGOT TO GIVE OUT HOMEWORK

WHEN PAUL SAYS

I LIVE NOT I

BUT CHRIST

I AM REMINDED

OF THOSE MODERN DAY HORROR PICTURES

WHERE THE MONSTER IS RUN BY A LITTLE MAN INSIDE

IF THAT’S WHAT PAUL MEANT

I DON’T THINK THAT’S WHAT CHRIST MEANT

IF HE MEANT

SO WHAT CHRIST WOULD DO

THINK LIKE CHRIST

ACT LIKE CHRIST

TO FULFILL THE QUESTION

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO

AND DO IT

IF WE ARE GOOD

BECAUSE JESUS DOES IT

WHEN WE ARE BAD

DO WE BLAME JESUS TOO

HE WANTS HIS CREATION

TO IMITATE HIM

NOT A SOME QUARRY SLAVE

BUT A FREE MAN

I LAY BEFORE YOU

GOOD AND EVIL

CHOOSE GOOD

I MIGHT RECONSIDER

MY INVITE TO PAUL

IF HE CHANGED HIS VIEWS ON WOMEN

DIDN’T CONSIDER CELIBACY BETTER THAN MATRIMONY

BUT HE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO ROLE PLAY

BEING A FATHER

ON A TRIP WITH WIFE AND KIDS

WHEN FROM THE BACK

COMES A PLAINTIVE CRY

CORINTH AGAIN

BORING

FRANK A VOLLMER

THE GORILLA AND THE CAT

2011-10-31T11:33:00.001-04:00

THE TEACHING STORY GOES

SOMETHING LIKE THIS

THERE WAS A GORILLA

AND HER CHILD

WHO WENT TO THE WATERHOLE FOR A DRINK

WHILE THERE THEY HEARD A THUNDERING SOUND

AS A HERD OF HIPPOS STAMPEDED

FRIGHTENED THE CHILD REACHED FOR HER MOTHER

GRASPING THE FUR ON HER BODY

SHE CLAMBERED ABOARD

MOTHER AND CHILD SCURRIED TO SAFETY

THERE WAS A CAT

ALONE

AT HOME WITH HER KITTEN

A FIRE BROKE OUT

SHE GRABBED HER KITTEN

BY THE SCRUFF OF ITS NECK

CARRYING KITTEN

SHE JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW TO SAFETY

THE MORAL OF THE STORY

IS TO WHAT IS

AND ISN’T

GOD’S GRACE FOR HIS CREATION

GOD’S LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN

IN THE GORILLA STORY

THE CHILD ASKS FOR HELP

THE MOTHER RESPONDS

IN THE CAT STORY

MOTHER GRABS THE CHILD

AND FLEES

THE CHILD IS NOT CONSULTED

THE CAT STORY

IS GIVEN TO US AS A MODEL OF GOD’S GRACE

AND IT BOTHERS ME

IT IS TRUE THAT GOD’S GRACE

IS ALWAYS CALLING US TO GOODNESS

AND GOD’S GRACE SUSTAINS US IN GOODNESS

BUT IS WE HAVE NO CHOICE

AS THE KITTEN DOESN’T

WE ARE ROBOTS

I DON’T THINK GOD WANTS ROBOT LOVE

BUT FREELY SAYING

I WILL

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

THAT IS ME

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

TRYING TO SOAR

WITH FEET STUCK IN THE MUD

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

GIVEN FREEDOM OF CHOICE

THIS PERSON LOVED BY GOD

TO THE POINT OF DEATH

ASKS ME TO BE THE PERSON

HE CREATED ME

TO BE

SO TO ME

THERE MUST BE A I WILL MOMENT

GOD ENCOURAGES ME

TO THE MOMENT OF DECISION

THE I WILL MOMENT

GOD SUSTAINS ME

AFTER THE I WILL MOMENT

BUT IN THE I WILL MOMENT

THE CHOICE IS MINE

I CAN RAISE MY HANDS FOR HELP

OR I CAN RUN AWAY

IT SEEMS TO ME

THAT THERE IS AN ENDLESS SUCCESSION

OF DECISION MAKING

LIKE AN ELECTRIC LIGHT

THE POWER IS THERE

THE SWITCH MUST BE THROWN

IF GOD FORCED THE DECISION

THEN WHY HASN’T HE FORCED THE DECISION

EVERYWHERE

SHOULD THERE BE POVERTY

HUNGER

WAR

IF GOD COULD FORCE GOODNESS

WHERE THEN IS FREE WILL

AND LOVE FREELY GIVEN

I DO NOT CLAIM TO BE RIGHT

BUT QUESTING

PERHAPS I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS

OR INSIGHT

KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

THEY REQUIRE

AN I WILL MOMENT

A LEAPING INTO THE DARKNESS

TRUSTING

THAT GOD WILL CATCH US

FRANK A VOLLMER