ODDS AND ENDS

ODDS AND ENDS

BY

 FRANK A VOLLMER

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FIG TREE

 

THE LEGEND GOES

THAT AFTER ADAM FELL

HE SAW THAT HE WAS NAKED

HE LOOKED FOR SOMETHING TO COVER HIS SHAME

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

SAID THE TREES

PLANTS

FLOWERS

THEY RUSTLED

SSSSSSSSSSSSINNER

NO SAID THE APPLE

PEAR

ORANGE

NO SAID THE POMEGRANATE

AND DATE

YES SAID THE FIG TREE

THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

REMEMBER

ALWAYS

THERE IS MERCY

IN GOD’S JUSTICE

AND IT WAS SO

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FOR OUR SAKE HE BECAME SIN

 

GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN

TO BE SIN

HIS FATHER IN HORROR

REJECTED HIM

 LEFT HIM LONELY

 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

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HOUSE BLESSING

May your house be big enough

To hold all the love

You give

And receive

May its walls be strong enough

To keep you from the wind

But doors opened to let the pilgrim in

May it be filled with tears and laughter

Sweat and leisure, books and slapstick

God's grace and cleaning power

But most of all may it protect you

For us and from us

And may our homes

Always be

Second home to you

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HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME CRIPPLED JESUS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

HOW CAN YOU SHOW ME THE WAY

WHEN YOUR HANDS AND FEET

ARE NAILED TO THE CROSS

HOW CAN YOU MEND BROKEN HEARTS

WHEN YOURS IS BROKEN BY A SPEAR

HOW CAN YOU CLEAR MY MIND

WHEN YOURS IS CLOUDED

BY THE PAIN OF THORNS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

MY WOUNDED JESUS

HOW CAN YOU HELP ME

JESUS SAYS

I CANNOT

AS LONG

AS I AM FIXED HERE

FIXED HERE

TO THE WOOD

BY THE NAILS

YOU MUST TAKE ME DOWN

 LET ME BE WITH YOU

LET ME BE A PART OF YOU

LET ME BE WITHIN YOU

THEN YOU SHALL BE

MY HANDS AND FEET

MY HEART AND MIND

WHEN YOU AND I

 ARE ONE

AS I

 THE FATHER

 THE SPIRIT

ARE ONE

BUT…

BUT WOUNDED SAVIOR

WITH YOUR DAMAGED FEET

WE WILL NOT TRAVEL FAR

LEAN ON ME CHILD

AS I YOU

. WEARING OUR WOUNDS

LIKE BADGES

WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH

NOT BY DENIAL OF OUR WOUNDS

FOR THEY ARE REAL

BUT IN THE WISDOM

THAT YOU TAUGHT US

THAT YOU DID NOT SUFFER IN VAIN

OR DIE IN VAIN

THAT YOU DID NOT SUFFER

 DIE

FOR MY FAILURE

OR MY CONDEMNATION

BUT MY SUCCESS

AT SUCH A PRICE

CAN I REFUSE

TO TAKE YOU DOWN

AND MAKE US ONE

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HYPOCHONDRIAC

 

THIS MORNING WHILE I SAT ON THE THRONE

AT WHICH BEING MANLY

I AM EXTREMELY ADEPT

I NOTICED TO MY SHOCK AND SURPRISE

THAT MY BIG TOE

ON MY LEFT FOOT WAS TURNING BLUE

NOW SINCE I AM A CANCER PATIENT

I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED

I’M DYING BY THE INCH I THOUGHT

I HAD VISIONS OF THE BLUE CREEPING UP MY LEG

TILL IT WAS GONE

I SET ABOUT THINKING OF A GUEST LIST FOR MY FUNERAL

 THINGS I’D LIKE THE EULOGISTS TO SAY

 GIVING MY BODY TO SCIENCE

 HAVE THEM GIVING IT BACK

AS USED AND ABUSED

WONDERING WHO I LEAVE MY JOKE BOOKS TO

OR TO WHOM I WOULD LEAVE MY JOKE BOOKS

THEN I WET MY FINGER

RUBBED MY TOE

 MIRABILE DICTU

THE COLOR CAME OFF

I WAS HIGHLY RELIEVED

BUT DISAPPOINTED

I’D DONE SO MUCH PLANNING

SO MY FOOT’S BACK TO NORMAL

MY NEW BOUGHT

MULTI COLORED SLIPPERS

HAVE CONFESSED TO THE CRIME

I CAN GO BACK READING THE PAPER

IN PEACE OH SO SUBLIME

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I’M LEARNING HUMILITY FROM MY CAT

 

I’M LEARNING HUMILITY FROM MY CAT

             I’M NOT AN APT STUDENT

I STILL THINK

THE SUN RISES AND SETS FOR ME

THAT GOD IS A MEMBER OF MY STAFF

BUT I’M LEARNING HUMILITY FROM MY CAT

I SHOULD SAY OUR CAT

BETTER YET

HER CAT

I’M INVISIBLE

SOMETHING TO WALK AROUND

UNLESS HE WANTS TO BE BRUSHED

THEN HE MOUNTS THE OTTOMAN

IMPERIOUSLY STARES AT ME

UNTIL I GIVE IN

WHEN HE’S HAD ENOUGH

HE JUST WALKS AWAY

NOT EVEN A LICK

I FEEL SO CHEAP AND USED

HE NEVER SENDS ME FLOWERS

IF HE DID

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE POISON IVY

I’D NEVER SAY

IT’S THE CAT OR ME

MY BAGS WOULD BE PACKED

AT THE DOOR

IN THE PECKING ORDER

IN OUR HOUSE

I’M ON THE NEXT PAGE

AH WELL

ALAS ALAS AND LACKADAY

I’M LEARNING HUMILITY

FROM MY CAT

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IMPROPERIA #1

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

I INVITED YOU TO MY SON’S WEDDING

BUT YOU DID NOT COME

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

I SENT MESSENGERS TO TELL OF FATTED CALVES

YOU ABUSED AND KILLED THEM

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

IN MY ANGER I SLEW THE GUESTS

HEART BROKEN IN MY ANGER

I CRIED OUT

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME!

THEN IN REMORSE

I SAID GO TO THE HIGHWAYS

INVITE ALL YOU FIND

MY OTHER GUESTS HAVE PROVEN UNWORTHY

GATHER GOOD AND BAD

MY HOUSE WILL BE FILLED

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU,

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME!

HE CAME INTO THE HALL

FOUND A GUEST

WHO WAS NOT WEARING

THE SUPPLIED WHITE GARMENT

HE SAID TO HIS SERVANTS BIND HIM

THROW HIM OUTSIDE THE GATE

HE IS AS UNWORTHY AS MY FIRST GUESTS

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.
HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

MY PEOPLE, MY PEOPLE

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU,

HOW HAVE I OFFENDED YOU

ANSWER ME

WHAT MORE COULD I HAVE DONE FOR YOU

THAT YOU WOULD REFUSE THE WHITE GARMENT

WHY

AGIOS O THEOS, AGIOS ISCHYROS,
AGIOS ATHANATOS ELEISON IMAS.HOLY IS GOD, HOLY AND STRONG,
HOLY IMMORTAL ONE, HAVE MERCY ON US

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SOMEONE’S MISSING AT CHRISTMAS

IT PERVADED THE HOUSE

LIKE THE AROMAS

FROM THE KITCHEN

THE SENSE OF SOMETHING MISSING

OF SOMEONE MISSING

LIKE A MELODY

MISSING A NOTE

OR A POEM

MISSING A VERSE

IT FELT INCOMPLETE

WHAT A TRIBUTE

TO THE PERSON GONE

TO BE MISSED

THAT A PART OF ONE’S HEART

HAD GONE WITH THEM

SORROW

YES

THEY COULD UNDERSTAND

BUT ALSO THEY WOULD SAY

CELEBRATE MY LIFE

THE JOKES WE TOLD

THE ADVENTURES WE HAD

THE GOOD TIMES

THE BAD TIMES

THE ORDINARY

DAY TO DAY TIMES

THE TIMES WE WERE BROUGHT

TOAST AND TEA

ON A GREEN SAUCER

AND A YELLOW CUP

CELEBRATE MY LIFE

AND I SHALL LIVE ON

AND I SHALL PERMEATE YOUR LIFE

LIKE AN AROMA

WAFTING FROM THE KITCHEN

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JOURNEY'S END

STANDING BY MY WINDOW

WATCHING THE SUNSET GO

FROM MULTI-HUED TO LUMINESCENT PEARL

WATCHING A BIRD FLY

LONELY

ACROSS THE SKY

AND WONDERING

WHY IS HE NOT HOME

AS I AM

WARM AND SHELTERED

AND WITH THE ONE I LOVE

WHY DOES HE FLY ACROSS THE SKY

THE LEGEND GOES

THAT IN THE EVENING

THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO DIED THAT DAY

FLY TOWARD THE SUN

I WATCH THE SOUL OF THIS ONE FLY AND WONDER

WHY THERE IS SADNESS IN MY SOUL

FOR HE HAS GONE ON THAT LAST JOURNEY

ON WHICH WE ALL SHALL GO

AND HAS FOUND PEACE

AND LEFT ME CRYING

WITH A PIECE OF ME TORN OUT

AND FLYING TOWARD THE SUN

SHALL I LAUGH WITH TEARS

OR CRY WITH LAUGHTER

OR WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR JOURNEY

TO THE BEGINNING OF DREAMS FOR YOU

TO THE BEGINNING OF SORROW FOR US

AND TO THE CONSOLING THOUGHT

THAT IT IS GOD'S HAND AWAITING THE BIRD OF YOUR SOUL

TO GIVE IT SHELTER

TO GIVE IT A HOME

A PLACE OF WARMTH

OF LOVE

AND AN END TO THE JOURNEY

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