REMEMBER

REMEMBER

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

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Beaver College

I REMEMBER I REMEMBER

THE COLLEGE THAT LOOKED LIKE A CASTLE

A CASTLE WHERE KNIGHTS WOULD DO THEIR MIGHTY DEEDS

A CASTLE A COLLEGE

ON THE WAY TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK

I REMEMBER I REMEMBER

IT WAS MY FATHER'S ONE DAY OFF

 FOR A BARGAIN FARE ON A TROLLEY CAR

THE FAMILY WOULD GO TO THE PARK

I REMEMBER I REMEMBER

HOW WE WERE TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO RIDES

WE WOULD EAT THE LUNCH WE PACKED

 LISTEN TO THE BAND MUSIC ON THE GRASS

WHERE SAT ALL OF US WHO COULDN'T AFFORD A TICKET

BUT I REMEMBER I REMEMBER

MY DAD WAS WITH US

ON HIS ONE DAY OFF

HOW TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY

WE'D RIDE THE MERRY GO ROUND

NOT KNOWING THEN

BUT KNOWING NOW THAT HE'D WALK TO WORK IN THE MORNING

YES I REMEMBER I REMEMBER

BUT I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING POOR

BUT RICH

GOING HOME

NESTLED AGAINST MY FATHER

ON THE TROLLEY

SLEEPING WITH MY FATHER'S ARM AROUND ME

 FEELING LOVED AND WARM

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A CEREMONY FOR REMEMBERING

PROLOGUE

LET US SUMMON TO MIND OUR DEAD

BE THEY PARENTS CHILDREN LOVED ONES OR DREAMS

BUT WHEN WE ARE DONE

LET US GENTLY CLOSE THE DOOR

 LET THEM SLEEP

EMMAUS

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS EYES

LIKE A SOLDIER OFF TO WAR

SAYING GOODBYE TO LOVED ONES

OR A SAILOR FOR A LONG LONG TRIP

WE'D WALKED THAT ROAD MANY TIMES

MY FRIEND AND I

IT HAD BECOME A BIT OF A TASK

WITH NOTHING NEW

TO BE DONE WITH SWIFTLY

AND DONE WITH

WITH PLEASURE AT EITHER END

BUT NOTHING IN THE JOURNEY

UNTIL THE STRANGER CAME TO WALK WITH US

THIS STRANGER

WITH RELUCTANT EYES

HE'D SIGHT A TREE AND CALL IT OUT BY NAME

A FLOWER

BIRD

OR SOME CREEPING THING

THE WAY THE SUN TOOK A CLOUD

 LIT IT UP WITHIN

OR CAST LONG SHADOWS

LIKE THE SHADOWS

THAT SAT UPON OUR HEARTS

THAT DAY

WHY ARE YOU SO SAD

HE ASKED

AFTER A WHILE

WE'D LET HIM TALK FIRST

 OUT OF COURTESY

HE SEEMED TO NEED TO TALK

WHY ARE YOU SO SAD

 SO TO THIS MAN

WHO SEEMED SO EAGER FOR LIVING THINGS

WE TOLD HIM OF A DEATH

OF OUR FRIEND JESUS

WHO HAD DIED

 TO USE HIS IMAGERY

PLUCKED LIKE A FLOWER

THAT WAS THROWN AWAY

PICKED WITHOUT PURPOSE

OF A MAN

WHO WHEN HE SPOKE

BOTH TESTED US AND JOYED US

OF THIS JOURNEY

THAT WE TOOK

WHICH WAS DOUBLY LONG

FOR WE CARRIED SADNESS TO EMMAUS

THERE WOULD BE NO PLEASURE THERE

THE BODY WAS GONE

OH THE WOMEN HYSTERICAL

HAD SAID HE WAS RISEN

BUT THE BODY WAS GONE

WHY SHOULD HE DIE

WE BELIEVED HIM CHOSEN OF GOD

WHY SHOULD HE DIE

PERHAPS BECAUSE WE WERE TOO NUMB TO SPEAK

HE TOOK OVER THE CONVERSATION

WHEN DID YOU LEARN TO LOVE YOUR FATHER HE SAID

WHEN I BECAME THE AGE HE WAS

WHEN I DISLIKED HIM

IT SOMEHOW MADE HIM DIFFERENT THEN

.MADE HIM UNDERSTANDABLE

SO JESUS CAME HE SAID

TO BE THAT PARENT

TO BE THE ONE WHO WENT BEFORE

TO BE THE ONE WHO LIVED AND DIED

 TO BE TRULY RISEN

AS THE WOMEN SAID

TO BE THE PARENT

WHO HAD GONE BEFORE

SO YOU COULD LEARN

TO LOVE HIM AS YOU GREW

AND THROUGH HIM

THE FATHER TOO

PERHAPS IT WAS THE CADENCE OF HIS VOICE

OR THE WORDS OR THE MAN HIMSELF

BUT WE FELT CALM

WE INVITED HIM TO SUP WITH US

IN OUR GARDEN IN THE EVENING COOL

FOR THE DAY HAD RUN AWAY

 WE KNEW HIM IN THE BREAKING BREAD

 THE WINE

THAT TOOK THE JOURNEY'S DUST AWAY

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THE SHAWL

THE SHAWL IS FINISHED

I HAVE WOVEN THE WOOL WITH TEARS

I HAVE HURT MY FINGERS

AND SUCKED SORROW

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING NOW

IT WAS FITTING HE SHOULD DIE IN FALL

OR EARLY WINTER REALLY

WHEN GRAYNESS COMES UPON THE LAND

WOULD I CALL HIM BACK

TO RE-SUFFER ALL HIS PAINS

TO ELIMINATE MY OWN

DID I NOT LOVE HIM TO THE POINT I COULD LET HIM GO

IF GOING WERE THE BETTER CHOICE

BUT I AM DONE WITH WEEPING

THE SHAWL IS FINISHED

I SHALL FIND OTHER THINGS TO DO

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BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD THE WATCHMAN CRIED

IN THE CITY WHERE HE WAS RIDING

ON A CART PILED HIGH WITH LAST YEARS DREAMS

AND LONG REMEMBERED ANGERS

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

THIS CITY THAT WAS ONCE SO FAIR

WHOSE WALLS WERE WHITE AND RIVERS CLEAR

WHERE MEN WALKED OUT ALONE AND UNAFRAID

HAS BECOME A STINK HOUSE OF REMEMBERED PAIN

AND PENT UP SORROW

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

LET WINDOWS ONCE MORE OPEN TO THE BREEZE

AND PIPERS PLAY NO MORE THE FUNERAL MARCH BUT GAY

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

THAT MEN MAY SAY ON PASSING BY

A FAIR CITY THERE PLEASING TO THE EYE

AND HEAR

THE LAUGHTER RINGING IN THE AIR

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

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STARS

HE LIKED TO WATCH THE STARS

THEIR SENSE OF ORDER AND HIS FILIAL PRIDE

BOTH GAVE HIM WARMTH

HE LIKED THE LEGENDS THAT MEN TOLD

ABOUT THESE LANTERNS IN THE SKY

HE LIKED THE WAY THEY LED A SHIP

OR CARAVAN TO FIND A HOME

HE SOMETIMES THOUGHT HE HEARD THE SOUND OF SILVER BELLS

WHEN THE WIND WAS IN THE TREES

WHEN NIGHT CLOUDS CAME SCUDDING ACROSS THE MOON

  

WHEN WILD DOGS BARKED

WHEN SHEEP BELLS RANG CLEARLY IN THE DARK

HE THOUGHT HE HEARD THE STARS SING

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY HIS FATHER

MADE THE SKY GO DARK

BEFORE HE DIED

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THE OLD HOUSE

WE FOUND IT DEEP IN THE WOODS

FAR FROM THE PATH

THE RUINS OF THE HOUSE

AND THE OLD STONE FENCE

YOU COULD TELL THE GARDEN

IN THE DIFFERENCE IN TREES

THE BUSHES GONE WILD

THE MOUNTAINEER'S CABIN

HARD BY A STREAM

YOU COULD MARK OFF HIS FIELDS

BY FOLLOWING HIS FENCE

EACH STONE HAND CARRIED TO BUILD IT

AS HE FOUND THEM

ON A SLOOP SO STEEP

YOU COULD PICTURE THEIR SAYING

IF YOU DON'T HOLD ONTO THE PLOW

YOU'LL FALL OUT OF THE FIELD

YOU WONDER WHEN HE BUILT THE HOUSE AND FENCE AND PLOWED

DID HE THINK IT WOULD COME TO THIS

OR DID HE SEE A LINE OF SONS COMING AFTER

LOVING THE LAND AS HE DID

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER I SUPPOSE

WHAT COUNTS IS

HE HAD A DREAM

HE TRIED TO MAKE IT REAL

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ABSALOM DAVID'S SON

HE COULD REMEMBER HIS SWINGING ON TREES

WATCHING HIM NOW

HANGING FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR

HE WISHED HIS FACE WAS LESS CONTORTED

HIS FACE LINES LAUGHTER CAUSED

WHEN THEY TOLD HIM HOW HE DIED

HOW HE SWUNG FROM THE TREE BY HIS HAIR

THE SOLDIERS SPEARS IMPALING

HE ONLY ASKED

DID HE CALL MY NAME

I WOULD NOT WANT HIM DEAD IN ANGER

THIS CHILD OF MINE

WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN IN HIS YOUTH

WHO TREE CLIMBED OFTEN AND WOULD CALL

FIND ME IF YOU CAN

WHAT HAPPENED AS HE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD

WHAT HAPPENED AS WE GREW THAT I LOST MY CHILD

WHEN DID HE CLIMB DOWN UNHEEDED

 WENT HIS WAY

DID HE TIRE OF HIDE AND SEEK

WHEN I WOULD NOT PLAY

WHERE DID I LOSE MY SON

WHEN DID THE SILENCE GO TO ANGER

 THE NEED TO HURT

SO MANY CALLS UPON ME

SO MANY PLACES TO BE

OH ABSALOM  

ABSALOM  

TREE CLIMBER  

MY CHILD

STRANGE FRUIT ON THE TREE

STIFF IN DEATH

AS YOU WERE IN LIFE

I KISS YOUR STILL UNFEELING LIPS

WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED

WOULD TO GOD I HAD DIED

THAN BE HERE TO WATCH

THE SUN GO DOWN

ON YOUR ANGER

 YOUR DEATH

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METAL FENCE

METAL FENCE WITH GATE DOOR OPEN

STANDING IN A FIELD BEFORE A HOUSE LONG GONE

THE GARDEN OVERGROWN

 GONE TO SEED IN WINTER

WHAT POSSESSED ME I DO NOT KNOW

TO LEAVE THE ROAD

 GO AND CLOSE THE GATE

WHOSE GHOSTS DID I WANT TO RESTRAIN

THEIRS OR MINE

WHAT VISIONS OF PARENTHOOD

HOPES 

DREAMS 

STILL DWELL IN THE GARDEN

STAY CLOSED GATE

I HAVE GHOSTS ENOUGH

OF MY OWN TO KEEP

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JOSEPH'S DEATH

IT WAS SUMMER AND THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN

THROUGH THEM HE COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF HOUSEWORK BEING DONE

THE SNATCH OF A SONG THE RUNNING OF WATER

THE SOUND OF A BROOM

IT WAS HOT BUT HE COULDN'T FEEL IT

HIS SHAWL WAS ABOUT HIS SHOULDERS

BUT HIS COLD WASN'T IN THE WEATHER

THE SOUND OF THE BROOM RAN ALL HIS DAYS TOGETHER

SO THAT HE THOUGHT HIMSELF ONCE MORE YOUNG

 COMING TO CALL FLOWERS FRESHLY PICKED

UPON HIS YOUNG SWEET LOVE

HIS MARY

BUT THEN HIS MEMORY DARKENED

HIS BLOOD IN SPITE OF YEARS RAN HOT

ANGER POUNDED IN HIS BRAIN

I AM WITH CHILD

NO A THOUSAND RAVENS CRIED

NO A THOUSAND CROWS REPLIED

PANDEMONIUM OF THUNDER 

LIGHTNING FLASH

AND DRIVING RAIN

NO HE CRIED TO NO ONE LISTENING

RACING FROM THE SUMMER STORM

RACING LOSING AND WAS CAUGHT

DRENCHED

THE RAIN RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE MIXING WITH HIS TEARS

NO HE WHISPERED TO THE EARTH

FACE PRESSED DOWN IN SOGGY GRASS

WHY HE SOBBED OH GOD WHY..

BUT NO ANSWER CAME THEN SOMETHING CAME

THE MEMORY OF HER WORDS

REMEMBER I LOVE YOU

HOW QUICK THE STORM

HOW SUDDEN THE SUN'S RETURN

SO THAT THE OLD MAN FELT ONCE MORE ITS HEAT

HE STRUGGLED TO FORM THE WORDS

FROM IN THE HOUSE THE QUESTION

DID YOU CALL

I LOVE YOU

DID YOU CALL

I LOVE YOU

DID YOU CALL

THEN JOSEPH DIED

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ON THE DEATH OF A FATHER OF MY FRIEND

I MOURN YOU

THOUGH I NEVER KNEW YOU

I NEVER BOUGHT YOU A BEER

LAUGHED AT YOUR JOKES

OR SHARED YOUR VIEWS

YET I MOURN YOU STILL

FOR YOUR DEATH IS A LOSS TO ONE I LOVE

I AM DIMINISHED BY IT

 SO I MOURN YOU

BUT MORE

FOR YOU SHAPED AND BROUGHT INTO BEING

MY FRIEND

SOMEWHERE IN YOU THEN WAS A GIFT OF BEAUTY

THAT MUCH BEAUTY IS NOW GONE

 I MOURN YOU

NOW YOU SLEEP OUT IN THE RAIN

ALL YOUR ELEMENTS GOING BACK TO GOD

NOW THE SENSE OF LOSS GIVES MY FRIEND PAIN

BUT IN THE SPRING

WHEN CROCUS BUDS PEEK THROUGH THE SNOW

COME BACK

WITH MEMORIES WARM

ALL HARSH THOUGHTS FORGOTTEN

COME BACK WITH MEMORIES OF LAUGHTER

 MAKE MY HEART-FRIEND

SMILE

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THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE

I THINK PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE IS SILENCE

WHEN ALL LOVE COMES HOME TO GOD TO REST

WHEN WORDS

WHICH DO NOT TELL THE HEART

ARE OVER

I THINK PERHAPS WE SHALL REVERT TO THE BEGINNING

 WITH A SIGH BREATHE OUT OUR SOULS TO REST

WHEN SPIRIT OF GOD AND LOVE ARE REUNITED

TO SAFELY DWELL FOREVER IN GOD'S BREAST

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I Must Remember (THANKSGIVING)

I MUST REMEMBER TO BE GRATEFUL

I AM

BUT OFTEN WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING

IT’S HARD TO REMEMBER RAIN

I MUST REMEMBER TO BE THANKFUL

I WAS AT DEATH’S DOOR

I HEARD THE SIREN CALL

COME

END PAIN

CONFUSION

LIMITED MOBILITY

HALTING SPEECH

CONFUSION

 I WAS TEMPTED

MOROSE

I WANTED OUT

I WAS SEVERELY TEMPTED

I'VE ALWAYS FELT

I WAS ONE OF GOD’S FAVORITES

 I WAS DEEPLY ASHAMED

I PUT GOD FAR AWAY

BUT HE WOULDN'T GO

SEE LOVE

HE SAID

SEE ME

IN YOUR WIFE

CHILDREN

CHILDREN’S CHILDREN

FRIENDS

PEOPLE WHO OPEN DOORS

WHO OFFER SEATS

SEE GOD IN GOODNESS AROUND YOU

ALL OF THEM SINGING LIVE

THERE WOULD BE A HOLE IN OUR HEART

IF YOU WERE GONE

LIVE

MY WIFE’S CARE

LAUGHTER OF CHILDREN

PRAYER OF FRIENDS

AND STRANGERS

CALLED ME BACK FROM THE DOOR

LIKE COMING UP FROM A DEEP PLACE

LIKE COMING UP FROM WATER

LIKE COMING OUT OF THE FONT

AFTER IMMERSION

LIVE

CHILD OF GOD

LIVE

 THEN I TOLD A JOKE

GOOD FOR ME

NOT SO GOOD FOR EVERYONE ELSE

THEN I KNEW I WAS ON THE MEND

I MUST REMEMBER TO BE GRATEFUL

FOR THE LOVE ALL AROUND ME

 GOD’S HAND

ALWAYS

ON MY SHOULDER

..

MADMAN OF GERASENES(Luke 8:26-39)

THE LAST THING THAT I REMEMBER

WAS SEEING MY FATHER SLAIN

THEN MY MOTHER AND SISTER

RAPED AND SLAIN

THE SOLDIERS COMING AFTER ME

FRIGHTENED

I RAN AWAY INTO OBLIVION

THE NEXT THING THAT I REMEMBER

IS TO SEE PIGS

HURLING THEMSELVES

OFF A CLIFF

INTO THE SEA

MUCH OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME

BETWEEN THESE POINTS

I HAVE BEEN TOLD

THEY TOLD ME I DWELT AMONG THE DEAD

THAT I ATE THE SYMBOLIC FOOD

LEFT FOR THE DEAD

OCCASIONALLY SOMEONE’S CHARITY

THAT I WAS CHAINED TO A ROCK

WHICH CHAIN I WOULD OFTEN BREAK

I REMEMBER FEELINGS OF GREAT RAGE

I REMEMBER

FEELING LIKE A ROBOT

RESPONDING TO VOICES

NOT MY OWN

I REMEMBER

STARING AT WALLS

REMEMBERING THEIR DEATHS

FEELING ANGER AND HOLLOWNESS

THEN THE STRANGER CAME

SPOKE TO THE VOICES WITHIN ME

WHAT IS YOUR NAME HE ASKED

MOB THEY REPLIED

LEAVE HIM

DO NOT SEND US TO THE PIT

SEND US TO THE PIGS

HE DID

AND THEY SWAN DIVED OFF THE CLIFF

I OFTEN WONDER

WHY HE CROSSED THE SEA TO SAVE ONE MAN

BECAUSE THE VILLAGERS ASKED HIM TO LEAVE

HE WAS BAD FOR BUSINESS

I WOULD GO WITH HIM

HE SAID STAY

TELL YOUR STORY

BE A VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS

MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD

IF THEY WON’T BELIEVE MY WORDS

TELL THEM WHAT I HAVE DONE

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