CHRISTMAS MEDLEY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS MEDLEY

 

BY

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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BIRTH

 

 

 

 

 

BIRTH

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT IS THE TIME

 

 

FOR SINGING PRETTY SONGS

 

 

ABOUT EVENTS

 

 

THAT MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED

 

 

 

 

BURIED IN THE FOLKTALES

 

 

IS THE FACT

 

 

GOD HAS BECAME MAN

 

 

SO MAN CAN BECOME GOD-LIKE

 

 

 

 

BURIED IN ALL THE COMMOTION

 

 

ABOUT CHRISTMAS

 

 

BURIED IN ALL THE HULLABALOO

 

 

AND OFTEN FORGOTTEN

 

 

OR IGNORED

 

 

IS A BASIC TENET

 

 

OF OUR FAITH

 

 

 

 

GOD HAS BECOME MAN

 

 

AND MAN HAS HIS DIGNITY

 

 

AND IMMORTALITY RESTORED

 

 

 

 

CHRISTIANS HAVE A LONG HISTORY

 

 

OF TREATING THE STRANGER

 

 

AS NOT BEING GOD’S CHILD

 

 

HOW THEN CAN IT LEAD THE WORLD

 

 

TO HIS BIRTHING PLACE

 

 

 

 

HE IS IN US

 

 

MUCH AS A PREGNANT WOMEN BEARS A CHILD

 

 

 

 

MUCH AS A WOMAN LABORS

 

 

WE SHOULD LABOR TO BRING HIS CREATION

 

 

TO FRUITION

 

 

 

 

HE DOESN’T NEED THE IMAGE

 

 

OF A COLD STABLE

 

 

OUR HEARTS ARE COLD ENOUGH

 

 

 

 

HE DOESN’T NEED THE IMAGE

 

 

OF A CROWDED INN

 

 

OUR BUSYNESS

 

 

HAVE CROWDED HIM OUT

 

 

 

 

HE DOESN’T NEED SWEET CAROLS SUNG

 

 

WHEN THEY ARE SUNG BY ROTE

 

 

WITH NO MEANING

 

 

 

 

HE DOESN’T NEED HERALD ANGELS SINGING

 

 

KEEP CASH IN CHRISTMAS

 

 

WHEN CHRISTMAS IS MEASURED

 

 

BY HOW MUCH YOU GET

 

 

 

 

WHEN SHEPHERDS

 

 

WHO SMELL LIKE SHEEP

 

 

ARE KEPT OUT

 

 

HE INVITES THEM IN

 

 

AS THEIR RIGHT

 

 

 

 

WHETHER THEY ARE LEGENDS

 

 

OR FACT

 

 

DOESN’T MATTER

 

 

UNLESS HIS BIRTH

 

 

IS A LIFE CHANGING EVENT

 

 

FOR US

 

 

 

 

UNLESS WE BEHAVE

 

 

AS ONES

 

 

GIVEN DIGNITY

 

 

BY GOD’S BIRTH

 

 

 

 

AND EXTEND THE RIGHTS

 

 

OF THAT DIGNITY

 

 

TO ALL

 

 

 

 

IF WE DON’T

 

 

GOD MIGHT HAVE BEEN

 

 

BORN IN A TRASH CAN

 

 

AND THROWN OUT

 

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CHRISTMAS IS FOR CHILDREN

 

 

CHRISTMAS IS FOR CHILDREN

WE’VE OFTEN HEARD IT SAID

 

PERHAPS WE’VE SAID IT OURSELVES

 

IF IT IS

THEN IT MUST BE SOME KIND OF FAIRY TALE

WITH HORROR PORTRAYED AS FANTASY

 

WE DRESS THE CHILDREN IN COSTUME

AND THINK HOW CUTE

 

BUT THE REALITY

OF A PREGNANT TEENAGER

WITH THE COCKAMAMIE STORY OF AN ANGEL’S VISIT

 

HER FIANCEE

HURT

BUT TOO MUCH IN LOVE WITH HER

TO DENOUNCE HER

 

A BRIGHT MOMENT

WHEN A USELESS CHILDLESS WOMAN

BECOMES PREGNANT

 

AN OCCUPIED COUNTRY

RULED BY AN IRON MILITANT FIST

 

A JOBLESS IMMIGRANT

TRYING FOR WORK

WHO CAN’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE

 

HOMELESS THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN

LOOKED DOWN UPON BECAUSE OF IT

 

SOLDIERS ORDERED TO KILL CHILDREN

 

 

NO ROOM IN THE INN FOR POOR PEOPLE

 

SIGNING UP FOR A CENSUS

THAT WILL IMPOSE MORE TAXES

 

WHILE THE RICH AMASS FORTUNES

 

WIDOWS CHEATED OUT OF THEIR INHERITANCE

 

SHEPHERDS

LOOKED DOWN ON

BECAUSE THEY DO NOT OBSERVE SABBATH

 

SCHOLARS SEEK HIM

WHICH UPSETS KING AND PRIESTS

 

NOT A CHRISTMAS PAGEANT SHOW

WITH CHILDREN IN BATHROBES

 

BUT A REALITY SHOW

WHERE MOST OF US LIVE

 

IT WOULD BE WELL IF THE CHARACTERS

WERE ADULTS

LIVING OUT THEIR ROLES

AS THEY WOULD IN REAL LIFE

PERHAPS A DESTITUTE MAN

LIVING IN A CARDBOARD BOX

WONDERING

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOD’S PLAN

 

WHY WOULD A SAVIOR COME

TO SUCH A HATEFUL WORLD

THAT CLEARLY DOESN’T WANT HIM

 

A WORLD THAT’S A DISAPPOINTMENT TO ITS CREATOR

WHY

 

BUT MY WAYS

ARE NOT YOUR WAYS

 

FOR IF AN OLD BARREN WOMAN

CAN HAVE A CHILD

 

THEN THE WORLD CAN HAVE A SAVIOR

WITH LABOR PAINS

BURSTING WITH SEED AND DREAMS

THE DREAMS THAT

 

THERE WILL NEVER BE HARM

OR WAR ON GOD’S HOLY MOUNTAIN

THAT LION AND LAMB SHALL DWELL PEACEFULLY

 

 

AS THE OLD WAYS

GIVE WAY TO THE NEW

 

CHILDREN IN BATHROBES

WILL LEAD THEM

 

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SUFFER/ALLOW

 

 

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN

 

TO COME UNTO ME

 

SUFFER

 

AS IN ALLOW

 

 

WORDS I GREW UP WITH

 

 

NOT

 

LET THE CHILDREN SUFFER

 

 

WHEN OUR LITTLE WORLD IS SHATTERED

 

BY THE DEATH OF CHILDREN

 

WE ARE AGHAST

 

 

WOULD THAT WE WOULD TAKE THIS GREAT EMOTION

 

AND CHANNEL IT TO CONCERN

 

FOR ALL CHILDREN

 

 

WHO ARE HUNGRY

 

TRAUMATIZED BY BOMBING

 

OR KILLED

 

LIVING IN SLUMS

 

UNDER EDUCATED

 

SCORNED BY RACE

 

 

 

CREED

 

SOCIAL STATUS

 

DELIMBED BY MINES

 

OR KILLED

 

 

WOULD THE EMOTIONS

 

UNLEASHED BY THE DEATH

 

OF OUR CHILDREN

 

WOULD SPREAD TO ALL CHILDREN

 

 

FOR THEY ARE ALL OUR CHILDREN

 

 

WE PRAY

 

OUR FATHER

 

OR SOME OTHER FORM

 

OF PARENTAL GODHEAD

 

 

WE ARE ALL

 

HIS CHILDREN

 

 

THE TEARS OF OTHERS

 

ARE OUR TEARS

 

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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 RACHAEL
THE WAIL OF RACHAEL
FOR HER CHILDREN

 

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THOUGHTS ON A CHRISTMAS SONG

 

 

THEY LOOKED FOR SOMEONE

WHO THIRSTED FOR ANIMAL BLOOD

THE SCENT OF BURNING FLESH

BUT ONLY A BABY CAME

 

FOR AN IMPRESSIVE FIGURE

WHO WOULD ROUT THE ROMANS

BUT ONLY A BABY CAME

 

A VOICE OF THUNDER

WHICH WOULD QUELL THEIR ENEMIES

BUT ONLY A BABY’S CRY

 

CLAD IN ROYAL GARMENTS

SPLENDID TO SEE

BUT ONLY A DIAPERED BABY

 

TO CHANGE THE WORLD

TO MAKE IN THEIR IMAGE

BUT ONLY A BABY NEEDING CHANGING

 

LIKE A CHILD

LOOKING THROUGH HIS LEGS

SEES THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

SO THE WORLD IS TOPSY-TURVY

BECAUSE A BABY CAME

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

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CHRISTMAS EVE

SANTA WAS IN A BIND
THE ELVES WERE SICK
THE REINDEER SNEEZING
RUDOLPH HAD BLOWN HIS NOSE OUT
AND CHRISTMAS WAS AROUND THE CORNER

CANCELING WAS NOT AN OPTION
BUT WHAT TO DO

WITH A SMILE HE HAD AN IDEA

I SHALL GO TO MY OLD PAL PIGTAIL
THE DONKEY WITH THE TWISTED TAIL
IN THE LAND OF NOT QUITE PERFECT

HE ENLISTED PIGTAIL
TO PULL HIS SLED

ALONG WITH SOME UNICORNS
WHOSE HORNS WERE EITHER MISSHAPEN
OR BROKEN

SOME HORSES
OFTEN CALLED NAGS
SLOW IN SPEED BUT FAST WITH EFFORT

SOME REINDEER
NOT PATHFINDERS
BUT FOLLOWERS
NOT LEADERS

SOME BIRDS CALLED
WHEREAREWE
FOR A GPS

THOUGH SANTA KNEW THE WAY
BUT IT MADE THE BIRDS HAPPY

HE THOUGHT
IT DOESN’T TAKE PERFECTION
TO GET A JOB DONE

THE ANT AND MOSQUITO
THOUGH SMALL
COMPLETE THEIR TASK

THE LESS FAVORED
ARE ONLY LESS FAVORED
IN THEIR MIND

INSIDE
WHERE IT COUNTS
THEY ARE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL
AND CAPABLE
AS ANYONE ELSE

SO CHRISTMAS EVE
IF YOU HEAR OF ALL THINGS
A DONKEY BRAY

YOUR GIFTS WERE BROUGHT
BY THOSE NOT PERFECT
BUT BEAUTIFUL

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

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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

 

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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

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

 

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THOUGHTS OF 9-11 ON CHRISTMAS MORNING

 

WHEN THE STORIES FELL

 

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

 

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

 

UNTOLD

 

UNSUNG THE SONG

 

THAT WAS YET TO BE SUNG

 

UNWOVEN THE LIFE TO BE LED

 

IN THE SILENCE

THAT FOLLOWED THE ROAR

THE ECHO OF NAMES

 

MY LAI

AUSCHWITZ

BIAFRA

SUDAN

 

THE STARVING MOTHER

SUCKLING HER CHILD

WITH A TIT GONE DRY

 

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

AGAINST A TIT

GONE DRY

 

 

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

BY GUNFIRE'S RHYTHMIC CHATTER

 

ALL IS CALM

ALL IS BRIGHT

 

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

 

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR YOU HERE

HEROD'S MEN WILL SEARCH YOU DOWN

 

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

 

IN THE BLEAK MID WINTER

DO NOT COME

 

 

THE LULLABY

OF NAMES CONTINUES

JIM CROW

BIRMINGHAM

SELMA

MARTIN LUTHER KING

 

COME ALL YE FAITHFUL COME

PASSING HOMELESS IN THE STREETS

 

SHUT THE INN

THEY CANNOT COME IN

THEY HAVE NOT HEARD THE ANGELS SING

 

WE STAND AROUND AN EMPTY CRIB

WONDERING WHERE THE BABY IS

 

HE IS NOT HERE

HE IS RESTING ON HIS MOTHER'S BREAST

AGAINST A TIT GONE DRY

 

 

 

HAVE I NOT SUNG THIS SONG BEFORE

BUT NEVER WITH SUCH MIXED EMOTIONS

 

OH COME LORD JESUS

FOR WITHOUT YOU

THERE IS NO JOY AT ALL

 

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR SO MANY

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR MYSELF

 

HOW SHALL I TURN SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

 

BUT CHRIST IS BORN AGAIN

LIKE WHEAT THAT SPRINGIEST GREEN

 

LIKE A ROSE THAT BLOOMS IN WINTER

ON A TENDER BOUGH

 

I SHALL NAME A NEW NAME

FORGIVENESS

 

I SHALL SING TO THE HUNGRY CHILD

A WORD THAT WILL NOURISH HIM

 

FOR TODAY

I WILL TRY TO FORGIVE MY ENEMY

AS YOU HAVE FORGIVEN ME

 

WHEN I FALTER

LET ME HEAR

THE WORDS OF THE LULLABY

HUNGER

POVERTY

BIGOTRY

 

COME LORD JESUS

COME AGAIN

BRING THE WHEAT

THE GENTLE RAIN

COME AGAIN

 

 

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