BOUILLABAISSE

BOUILLABAISSE

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

PARABLES

SOME SAY JOSEPH  AND JESUS

WERE CARPENTERS

WHICH BRINGS TO MIND

A MIDDLE CLASS HOME

WITH A SHOP OUT FRONT

PERHAPS WITH A SIGN

THAT SAYS

JOSEPH  AND  SON

MAKER OF EASY YOKES

SOME SAY HE WAS NOT

I TEND TO AGREE

NOT OUT OF SOME SCHOLAR DISCOVERY

BUT LIFE EXPERIENCE

I SPENT MOST OF MY WORK LIFE

AS AN AIRCRAFT WORKER

WE SPOKE A JARGON

WHICH A NEW EMPLOYEE

FOUND DIFFICULT

BUT WE SPOKE WHAT WE KNEW

READING MATTHEW 13

WE FIND

PARABLE OF THE SOWER………FARM

PARABLE OF THE TARES  WHEAT……………FARM

PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED………FARM

PARABLE OF THE YEAST…………..DOMESTIC LIFE

PARABLE OF THE TREASURE IN A FIELD……….POOR MAN’S DREAM

PARABLE OF THE PEARL……………….POOR MAN’S DREAM

PARABLE OF THE FISH  THEIR SORTING……………..FISHING

PARABLE OF LAZARUS THE BEGGAR…………HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS……………..INJUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE

THESE OTHERS SEEM TO SAY FARM BOY

DAY LABORER

HANDYMAN

JACK OF ALL TRADES

THERE WERE MORE OF THEM IN PALESTINE

THAN MIDDLE CLASS

WHEN JOSEPH  AND JESUS LIVED

JESUS CAME TO EXPERIENCE

FULL HUMANITY

THEN WHERE ELSE

WOULD HE GO

THAN TO THE VERY BOTTOM

WHERE SUN RARELY PEAKS THROUGH

 LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE

WHERE ONE COULD WORK ALL HIS LIFE

 DIE POOR

WHETHER JESUS WAS A CARPENTER

OR NOT

DOESN’T MATTER

WHAT MATTERS

IS WHEN WE SEE

 ITINERANT FARM WORKERS

OR

DAY LABORERS

OUTSIDE OF HOME DEPOT

OR LOWES

THEY TOO WERE SAVED BY CHRIST

CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE

WORTHY OF DIGNITY

 HONOR

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dust

did the nazis

think they were doing

god’s will

when they tried

to reduce

the jewish

population to ashes

for god had said to abraham

I will make your offspring

like the dust of the earth,

so that if anyone could count the dust

then your offspring

could be counted

a gruesome thought

but hitler

had said

to church leaders

when asked

his racial policies

i will do nothing

that the churches

have not done

for two thousand years

they thought

as long as he doesn’t

touch our schools

a catechism

for a soul

what a bargain

i heard

a sermon

about dwindling church membership

perhaps

it’s time

to replace the old

with a new church

based on the simple

carpenter’s message

what so ever you do

to the least

of my brothers

that you do unto me

or as hillel said it

a century earlier

That which is hateful to you

do not do to your neighbor

That is the whole Torah

the rest is commentary

Go and study it

we spend the time

feeding the hungry

housing the homeless

and never ask

why

they are hungry and homeless

it seems to me

a church

should be active

to make a better society

rather than a rescue mission

i think

the new churches

which are successful

are wonderful cloisters

but of what earthly good are they

if they give the hungry

rosaries

and the homeless

boxes

give us lord

a new vision

for the day is dying

and we are far from home

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PAUL AND BARNABAS

THERE COMES A TIME

WHEN EVEN MEN OF PEACE

DISAGREE

WHEN EACH

WITH ALL THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE

DISAGREE

SO PAUL AND BARNABAS

DISAGREED

OVER MARK

PAUL

INTENSE

SINGLE MINDED

FELT MARK

HAD DESERTED THEM

AND HE ACCEPTED NO EXCUSE

BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT EXCUSE HIMSELF

BUT BARNABAS

A DIFFERENT KIND OF MAN

CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH

AN AVUNCULAR

TENDER MAN

WHO FELT

THAT MARK BEING

ALMOST A CHILD

WANTED TO SEE HIS MOTHER

SO THEY PARTED

BUT NOT HOSTILE

FOR LATER MARK

WOULD BECOME

ONE OF PAUL’S

 RIGHT HAND MAN

WE IN THE CHURCH

HAVE COME TO SUCH AN IMPASSE

FROM OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE

WE HAVE COME TO DIFFERENT VIEWS

AND EACH I HOPE

IS WORKING OUT OF PURITY OF CONSCIENCE

NOT HATRED

FOR HATRED’S SAKE

WE CHRISTIANS

HAVE A FACILITY FOR HATRED

SO IF WE MUST PART

LET US PART WITH FRIENDSHIP

SO THAT LATER

IF ONE FINDS THEY WERE WRONG

ANGER HAS NOT SET OUR MINDS

TO NOT ADMIT IT

THE WORLD IS FULL OF DISSENSIONS

RATHER THAN ADD TO IT

LET US SET AN EXAMPLE

OF BROTHERHOOD

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PENSEES

WHAT I WANTED TO SAY

WAS WHAT A HORROR

WHAT AN IGNOBLE ACT

IT WAS

TO SEND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WOMEN

LOADED WITH BOMBS

TO STAND IN A MARKET PLACE

AND BE BLOWN UP

BUT WHILE CONDEMNING

TO KNOW IN FACT

OUR HANDS ARE NOT CLEAN

THE BIBLE DOESN’T HELP

IT ORDERS GENOCIDE

ON HAPLESS CIVILIANS

SINCE I BELIEVE

GOD

IS KIND AND MERCIFUL

I’D RATHER THINK

THAT THE WRITERS

PUT THE WORDS IN GOD’S MOUTH

TO JUSTIFY

THEIR ACTIONS

NOT GOD’S

THE BASIC TENET

IN ALL RELIGIONS

IS

DO NOTHING TO ANOTHER

THAT YOU WOULDN’T WANT

DONE

TO YOU

IN MY OWN LIFE

I KNOW OF

MY LAI

THE HOLOCAUST

PEARL HARBOR

GULAGS

COLONIALISM

INGRAINED POVERTY

RACIAL HATRED

TO WANT A BETTER WORLD

WE’RE TOLD IS VISIONARY

BUT I SAY GOD’S WILL BE DONE

ON EARTH

HAS GOD LIED TO US

HAS HE GIVEN US A WILL-O'-THE-WISP

TO FOLLOW

I MOURN MY SISTERS

THEIR SENSELESS DEATHS

AND HOPE THE WORLD

WILL NOT BE BLASÉ

ABOUT ANOTHER

DEATH

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PERFUME

PRITHEE

PRITHEE

PRITHEE

I ALWAYS WANTED TO USE THAT WORD IN A SENTENCE

PRITHEE

LISTEN TO MY TALE

ABOUT

AN UPLIFTED TAIL

A TALE REDOLENT WITH WONDER

WHICH BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES EVEN NOW

IT BEGAN INNOCENT ENOUGH

I WAS INNOCENT

ONCE

I

DISCOVERED

WHILE WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS

WHAT I TOOK TO BE

A LITTLE BLACK AND WHITE KITTEN

APPARENTLY

ABANDONED BY ITS PARENT

I SAW NO SIGN OF THEM

I WALKED ON

TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE

ON COMING BACK

I SAW HIM STILL

AND TOOK HIM HOME

TO WHICH MY FATHER SAID

HE’LL NOT COME INTO THE HOUSE

IT’S A SKUNK

CAN I KEEP HIM

CAN I KEEP HIM

HE RELENTED

IF I KEPT HIM IN OUR OLD BARN

WHICH WE NEVER USED

I CALLED HIM PERFUME

A SUITABLE NAME

AND ALL WAS WELL

TILL SUMMER WAS OVER

HE HAD THRIVED

I RAISED HIM WELL

HE FOLLOWED ME LIKE A DOG

WE’D OFTEN SIT

PERFUME AND I

AND WATCH THE SUN SET

A BOY

AND HIS SKUNK

IS A BEAUTIFUL THING

BUT SUMMER WAS OVER

AND SADLY

I HAD TO LEAVE MY PAL

FOOT DRAGGING ALL THE WAY

BUT FATE WAS KIND

I THOUGHT

FOR THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT

WAS

WHAT I DID IN THE SUMMER

I’D TOP THEM ALL

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY

I’D TOP THEM ALL

SO ON THE FATEFUL DAY

I TRUNDLED

MY PET SKUNK

ON MY LITTLE RED WAGON

SAFELY IN A BOX

HIDDEN FROM VIEW

WHEN WE GOT TO SCHOOL

WE WERE TOLD THE BISHOP

WAS THERE

WE WERE TO SHOW HIM

OUR FIRE DRILL EXPERTISE

THE FIRE DRILL BEGAN

AS ALL FIRE DRILLS BEGAN

WITH A LOUD CLANGING BELL

PERFUME

SAFE IN HER BOX

MAYBE ASLEEP

WAS STARTLED

AND REVERTED TO FORM

BROKE OUT OF THE BOX

SPRAYING ALL THE WAY

THE GOOD HOLY NUNS

WERE ALWAYS TELLING US

TO LIVE IN THE ODOR OF SANCTITY

WE FAILED THAT DAY

THE GOOD HOLY NUN

AND HALF THE CLASS

WERE ON THEIR DESKS

AS PERFUME RAN OUT THE DOOR

SPRAYING LIBERALLY

INCLUDING THE BISHOP

WAITING TO WATCH

THE STUDENTS

PERFORMED THEIR DRILL

I THINK THERE ARE SOME BISHOP ROBES

IN INDIA

WITH A STRANGE AROMA

MY FATHER CAME AND RESCUED ME

AND LATER

MUCH LATER

TOLD ME

THAT HE’D BEEN ANGRY

AND EMBARRASSED

BUT LATER

HE’D REMEMBERED

HIS OWN YOUTH

AND SMILED

PERFUME CAME TO ME

OBEDIENT LIKE A DOG

I TOOK HIM HOME

I LET HIM GO

FOR A WHILE

I’D FEED HIM

THEN ONE DAY

HE STOPPED COMING

THE NEXT SUMMER

I MET HIM IN THE WOODS AGAIN

HE CAME AND NUZZLED MY HAND

THEN MADE A NOISE

HIS WIFE

AND THREE LITTLE ONES

CAME TO THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING

HE NUDGED MY HAND AGAIN

WENT TO JOIN THEM

AND DISAPPEARED

GOODBYE PERFUME

YOU LINGER

IN MY THOUGHTS

LIKE

PERFUME

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PIE JESU

PIE JESU

PIE JESU

GRANT THEM REST LORD

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT THEM REST LORD

UNDISTURBED

PIE JESU

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT REST TO CHILDREN

DEAD BEFORE THEY WERE BORN

TO VICTIMS OF WAR

TO VICTIMS OF HATE

TO VICTIMS OF PROFIT

AT ANY COST

GRANT THEM REST

GENTLE JESUS

GRANT THEM REST

GRANT THEM REST

AND PROMINENCE

WHO OFTEN WERE IGNORED IN LIFE

OR WORSE INVISIBLE

OH SWEET JESUS

WHO TAKES AWAY

THE SINS OF THE WORLD

TAKE AWAY THE EFFECTS OF SIN

AS IT AFFECTS THEM

GRANT THEM REST

LORD JESUS

WHOSE LIFE

WAS A DISCORDANT SONG

GRANT THEM REST

GRANT THEM PEACE

FOREVERMORE

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POPPIES 

THE POPPIES THAT LITTERED THE BATTLEFIELD

WERE BROUGHT ON BY THE LITTER OF WAR

FOR POPPIES ONLY GROW ON BROKEN SOIL

WHETHER BY PLOW OR BOMBARDMENT

THE POPPY DOESN'T CARE

IT GROWS IN BROKEN SOIL

 

AND THE POPPIES STILL GROW IN BROKEN SOIL

 

BECAUSE OUR PROMISES

MADE TO THESE OUR DEAD

OUR HONORED DEAD

HAVE NOT BEEN KEPT

WE SAID THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER

BECAUSE OF THEIR DEATH

THEIR SACRIFICE

 

BUT UNLIKE CHRIST

THEIR DEATH DID NOT BRING RESURRECTION

 

SO TO THESE DEAD

THESE HONORED DEAD

WE RECOMMIT OURSELVES

THAT THE WORLD AND COUNTRY

THEY DIED FOR

WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE

THAT PEACE AND LOVE

WOULD HAVE NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES

THAT FOOD AND HAPPINESS

WOULD NOT BE FOR THE FEW

BUT THE MANY

THAT THE DREAMS THEY DIED FOR

WOULD COME TRUE

THAT MEN WOULD TURN SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES

AND SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

THAT THE LAMB AND THE LION WOULD LIE DOWN TOGETHER

THAT THERE WOULD BE A NEW RESURRECTION

THAT HEARTS WOULD BE BROKEN OPEN BY LOVE

AND GROWING IN THAT BROKEN-NESS

POPPIES WOULD LITTER THE LANDSCAPE

 

SLEEP WELL HONORED DEAD

WE WILL REMEMBER OUR PROMISES

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PISTIS

Blessed is the man who has realized his own utter helplessness.

And who has put his whole trust in God.

TO THE HEBREW THERE WERE FOUR STAGES OF POOR

THE FIRST STAGE WAS SIMPLY POOR

HAVING NO RESOURCES

THE SECOND

HAVING NO POWER

PRESTIGE

THE THIRD

NO POWER MEANT

NO INFLUENCE

DOWNTRODDEN

PUSHED ASIDE

THE FOURTH

HAVING NOTHING

PUTS HIS TRUST IN GOD

SO CHRIST COULD CALL OUT

BLESSED ARE THE POOR

CHRIST DID NOT MEAN SLUMS

OR INGRAINED POVERTY

POVERTY IS NOT GOOD

IT’S THE CHRISTIAN’S TASK TO ERADICATE IT

WE PRAY DAILY

THY KINGDOM COME

THY WILL BE DONE

ON EARTH

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

WE SAY AS CHRISTIANS

WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH

AS BETTER WORD

WOULD BE TRUST

PAUL SAID

ABRAHAM HAD FAITH IN GOD

AND WAS DEEMED RIGHTEOUS

BETTER SAID

WOULD BE

ABRAHAM TRUSTED GOD

AND WAS DEEMED RIGHTEOUS

A BETTER TRANSLATION

OF THE GREEK WORD

PISTIS

WHICH PAUL USED

LESS MECHANICAL

THAN

WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH

WHERE THE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN

WALKS BY THE POOR MAN

AND DOESN’T SEE HIM

FAITH WITHOUT GOOD WORKS FOLLOWING

IS DEAD

BETTER A LOAF OF BREAD TO THE POOR

THAN A PRAYER

WE SHOULD WEAR CHRIST

LIKE AN ITCHY COAT

ALWAYS REMINDING US

TO FOLLOW HIM

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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

AND 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

AND I AM A BLESSED MAN

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RAIN GODS

I CAME UPON AN INDIAN

SCRATCHING LINES IN THE SAND

HE FINISHED

AND STARED AT IT FOR A WHILE

THEN WITH HIS BOOT ERASED IT

RUNNING CLOUD I SAID

WHY DID YOU RUIN IT

IT WAS FOR THE RAIN GODS

THAT THEY MIGHT BRING WATER

TO THIS LAND

AND MAKE THE DESERT BLOOM

BUT WHY DID YOU RUIN IT

ESPECIALLY

WHEN WE’RE SO DRY

BECAUSE NO ONE BELIEVES

IN THE OLD GODS

THEY WILL NOT COME UNWELCOME

BUT CHRIST CAME

UNWANTED

UNLOVED

IN FAIR WEATHER

OR FOUL

ACCEPTED

OR REJECTED

LIKE A JILTED LOVER

WHO WON’T GO AWAY

HE LINGERS ON THE PERIPHERY

HE WON’T GO AWAY

EVEN THOUGH

WE ONLY THINK OF HIM IN DRY WEATHER

HE’S HAPPY

WITH THAT ATTENTION

HE HOPES THAT WE WILL

SCRATCH A PICTURE ON OUR HEARTS

COME LORD JESUS

COME AGAIN

COME LORD JESUS

BRING THE RAIN

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RAMBLINGS AT  MIDNIGHT

(UT UNUM SINT)

THE FARTHER YOU GO IN SPACE

EARTH DIVISIONS CEASE

UNTIL IT BECOMES

A BEAUTIFUL

ROUND BLUE BALL

THE  FURTHER WE GO INTO GOD

ALL DIVISIONS CEASE

UNTIL

LIKE THE HYMN SAYS

IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST,
IN HIM NO SOUTH OR NORTH;
BUT ONE GREAT FELLOWSHIP OF LOVE
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WIDE EARTH.

OR AS PAUL SAYS

THERE IS NEITHER JEW

NOR GREEK,

 SLAVE NOR FREE,

MALE NOR FEMALE,

 FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE

IN CHRIST JESUS

I KNOW THAT JESUS SAYS

UNLESS YOU BELIEVE IN ME

BUT DOES NOT THE DEVOUT JEW

HINDU

BUDDHIST

MUSLIM

OR ANY OF MAN’S

HUNDRED WAYS OF WORSHIP

SEEK THE SAME BENEVOLENT GOD

THAT JESUS REPRESENTS

WHO DID NOT COME INTO THE WORLD

TO CONDEMN IT

AND HAVE WE CHRISTIANS

 SET SUCH A GOOD EXAMPLE

THAT MEN ARE DRAWN

TO BECOME ONE

WE HAVE A TELEPHONE BOOK

OF CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

ALL QUOTING

FROM THE SAME BOOK

BUT CHRIST SAYS

I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY

THAT YOU GAVE ME,

THAT THEY MAY BE ONE

AS WE ARE ONE:

LET STRIFE AMONG US BE UNKNOWN

 LET ALL CONTENTION CEASE.

 BE HIS THE GLORY

THAT WE SEEK

BE OURS HIS HOLY PEACE.

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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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