SAMPLER

SAMPLER

BY

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

THE INNOCENT

WHETHER THE STORY

OF THE SLAUGHTER

OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS

IN BETHLEHEM

IS TRUE

OR MISGUIDED

HAGIOGRAPHY

IS UNSURE

IT’S CERTAIN

THAT HEROD COULD ORDER IT

BUT WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE

GOD’S STORY

GREATER

THAN IT IS

IT STARTS OFF BEING GREATER

WE HAVE NO NEED TO AUGMENT IT

BUT THE PAIN

THE STORY

REPRESENTS

IS TRUE

WHETHER

IT’S INFANTICIDE

DEATH BY SICKNESS

OR ACCIDENT

OR KILLED BY WAR

RACHAEL CRIES FOR HER YOUNG

AND WILL NOT BE COMFORTED

SO MANY PEOPLE

WE HAVE KILLED IN GOD’S NAME

SO MANY BY HUNGER

POVERTY

CLIMATE

SO MANY BY THE THOUGHT

THAT IF THEY WERE BETTER

GOOD TIMES WOULD HAPPEN

THAT GOD SMILES ON THE RICH

BUT NOT THE POOR

AND THAT BEING POOR

REFLECTS

THE MORALITY

OF THE POOR

I DO NOT THINK

THAT GOD CAME

WITH SHEPHERDS

WISE MEN

ANGELS

IN THE SKY

THAT THERE WAS NO STABLE

OR FILLED UP INN

BUT WITH RELATIVES

AND THERE

LIKE A RECURRING REFRAIN

A CHILD IS BORN

WRAPPED IN BIRTHING CLOTHES

NURSING AT HIS MOTHER’S BREAST

GOD IS BORN

TO BE ONE WITH US

WE DO NOT NEED TO GLORIFY IT MORE

BUT TO REMEMBER RACHAEL’S LAMENT

AND GOD WEEPING WITH HER

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THE BRIDGE

THE LEGEND GOES

THERE WAS A TOWN

WITH A BRIDGE

OVER A RIVER

DOWN WHICH

CHILDREN WERE FLOATED

ON A RAFT

THE GOOD CITIZENS WORRIED

THAT A CHILD

WOULD FLOAT BY IN THE NIGHT

AND BE LOST

SO THEY HIRED WATCHMEN

AND HUNG A NET FROM THE BRIDGE

TO CATCH THE RAFTS

THEY WERE DILIGENT

IN SAVING CHILDREN

SOMETIMES MANY

SOMETIMES FEW

FAIR WEATHER OR FOUL

THE WATCHMEN WATCHED

THEN ONE DAY

SOMEONE SAID

WHY ARE THESE CHILDREN

COMING DOWN THE RIVER

WHO WOULD ABANDON A CHILD

IN SUCH A WAY

THEN SOMEONE SAID

LET US GO UPRIVER

FIND OUT WHY

AND TRY TO STOP IT

I WONDER

BECAUSE WE ARE A SINFUL PEOPLE

WE ARE MORE INCLINED

TO EASE THE EFFECTS OF SIN

RATHER THAN THE CAUSE

AS IF OUR SINFULNESS

WEAKENS OUR RESOLVE

AS IF GOD

DOESN’T WANT A SAINTLY PEOPLE

TRYING TO MAKE THE WORLD

WHAT HE WANTS IT TO BE

WE ARE TASKED

TO BE THE WATCHERS

ON THE BRIDGE

WE ARE ALSO TASKED

TO ASK WHY WE ARE NEEDED

AND TO PUT OURSELVES

OUT OF A JOB

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SARAH

WHEN ABRAHAM BURIED SARAH

HE TOLD HIS SERVANTS

CLOSE THE TOMB GENTLY

FOR WITH IT

YOU CUT OFF

PART OF MY HEART

I REMEMBER MOST OF ALL

HER LAUGH

IT CHEERED ME

WHEN THE PROMISES OF GOD SEEMED HOPELESS

HER LAUGH

WAS A YOUNG GIRL’S LAUGH

NO MATTER HOW OLD SHE BECAME

LIKE LAUGHING AT ANGELS

WHOSE NEWS WERE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

GOD CALLED HER PRINCESS

AND SHE WAS

OF MY HEART

AND HER FAMILY

ROLL THE STONE GENTLY ON HER TOMB

AND LET ME ALONE

TO MOURN HER

AS NIGHT FALLS

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PIGTAIL

WITH ONE EAR

AND THE OTHER ONE DOWN

A TAIL THAT CURLED

LIKE A PIG

HE WASN’T A PROMISING ARTICLE

NE MATTER WHAT THE DONKEY MERCHANT SAID

HE KEPT IT TO BUILD UP SALES ON THE OTHER MULES

AT WHICH HE WAS MOST ADEPT

SO WHEN THE CARPENTER CAME

NEEDING A RIDE

HE COULDN’T AFFORD THE BEST

NOR THE MEDIOCRE

BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL WAS PIGTAIL

NOW HE WASN’T A BAD MAN

BUT A BUSINESSMAN

A SALE WAS A SALE

RATHER A RENT WAS A RENT

 HE ONLY NEEDED IT

TO GO TO BETHLEHEM FOR CENSUS

 HIS WIFE WAS PREGNANT

THE ROMANS DIDN’T CARE

IF SHE MISCARRIED

ONE LEST JEW TO MAKE TROUBLE

WHEN THE TRIP WAS OVER

THE MULE MERCHANT

NOTICED A CHANGE IN PIGTAIL

PHYSICALLY HE WAS THE SAME

BUT HE CARRIED HIMSELF

WITH AN AIR OF WORTH

AND CONFIDENCE

THAT CHILDREN RESPONDED TO

HE BECAME THE VILLAGE TOY

MAKING MANY A CHILD

FEEL LIKE A KING

RIDING HIM

STRUTTING PROUDLY

BAYING LOUDLY

 BUT HIS FAVORITE

WAS THE CARPENTER’S SON

WHO GAVE HIM THE NAME PIGTAIL

HE WORE IT WITH DIGNITY

AND LOVE

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SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI

SO SINGS THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES

STOPPING THE PROCESSION THREE TIMES

TO SING IT

AND BURN A BIT OF FLAX

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI

SUNG WHILE THEY PROCESS

FROM THE ELECTION HALL TO THE CORONATION

SINGING TO THE POPE ELECT TO BE HUMBLE

TO BE SERVANT TO THE SERVANTS OF GOD

ECHOES OF AN EARLIER TIME

WHEN VICTORIOUS ROMAN GENERALS

WOULD PARADE TO LOUD ACCLAIM

WHILE A SERVANT KEPT CHANTING IN HIS EAR

MEMENTO MORI

REMEMBER YOU MUST DIE

IT WOULD BE NICE IF POPES AND GENERALS

TOOK THE WORDS TO HEART

MANY DID

SOME DID NOT

IT WOULD BE NICE IF ALL THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE

IMPORTANT IN FACT OR IN THEIR MIND

TOOK THE WORDS TO HEART

MANY DO

SOME DO NOT

JESUS TOLD A STORY

THAT MIGHT HAVE COME FROM A MISS MANNERS ARTICLE

HOW TO BEHAVE AT A BANQUET

OR HOW A GENTLEMAN SHOULD ACT IN PUBLIC

HOMEY ADVICE FROM BEN FRANKLIN

OR SAMUEL JOHNSON

BUT JESUS IS GOING DEEPER

GOING AFTER THOSE WHO SEEK PRIMACY OF PLACE

WHO USE PEOPLE AS RUNGS ON A LADDER

WHOSE VISION GOES NOT BEYOND THEIR NOSE

A GENTLE

KIND

MAN IS LIKE OIL

ON A RUSTY MACHINE

IT MAKES THINGS WORK BETTER

THAT THE GOOD FOR MANY

IS BETTER THAN THE GOOD FOR ONE

MOST RELIGIONS STATE

CAN BECOME PAINFUL

IF IT LEADS TO EXCESS

IF YOUR WANTS ARE WHERE YOUR HEART IS

NOT NORMAL DESIRE

LIKE FAMILY

OR

LOVE

BUT CRAVING FOR POWER

PRESTIGE

THE BEST SEAT

USING ELBOWS TO GET THERE

AND WHEN YOU GET THERE

TO FIND ASHES IN YOUR HAND

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THAT WORD 

WHEN THE DOCTOR FIRST SAID THAT WORD

IT WAS AS IF THE WORLD HAD STOPPED

A CLICHÉ MOST TIMES

EXCEPT WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU

BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS TO YOU

ALL AROUND YOU

EVERYONE ELSE

WAS GOING ON

WITH THEIR JOURNEYS

ONE OF WHICH WAS THE DOCTOR'S TASK

OF TELLING ME

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME

AND AS HE SPOKE

A DIFFERENT DIRECTION

WAS GIVEN TO MY JOURNEY

NO TRAVELING

IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE

AT THIS TIME

WE NEED THE FOLLOWING TESTS

DONE IMMEDIATELY

TILL A WEEK OF TESTS

HAD GONE BY

WHICH WHEN READ

REQUIRED MORE TESTS

A BIOPSY

AND A SHUNT INSTALLED

IT'S ALL DONE NOW

AND I SIT NOW

AS IF BEFORE A MAGIC CUP

CHALICE

GRAIL

A MAGIC CUP OF HEALING POISON

IT REMINDS ME OF GRACE

DESTROYING SIN

BUT NOT THE SINNER

DESTROYING A PART OF ME

TO LEAVE ME WHOLE

THIS IS NOT THE CUP

THAT I WOULD CHOOSE TO DRINK

IF I COULD

I WOULD SAY

FATHER TAKE THIS CUP

BUT THIS CUP IS A NECESSARY ONE

THAT I MUST DRINK

I FEEL LIKE PETER

WHEN JESUS SAID

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DRESS

AND LEAD YOU

SHELTER ME AS I DRINK THIS POTION

SURELY YOUR GOODNESS

AND KINDNESS

HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME

AND I REST IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

LIKE BABY BIRD

BEING FED BY ITS MOTHER

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RAMBLINGS II 

ON A TABLE

NEAR THE ALTAR

DURING AN ORTHODOX FUNERAL

IS A DISH OF KOLYVA

IT IS MADE OF BOILED GRAIN

LIBERALLY LACED WITH HONEY

AND RAISINS

IN THE CENTER IS A LIGHTED CANDLE

IT IS A VISUAL AID

FOR THE MOURNERS

IT TEACHES

THAT AS A SEED MUST DIE FOR NEW LIFE

SO THE SOUL OF THE DEAD

HAS TRANSFORMED

INTO NEW LIFE

IT TEACHES

IN THE SHAPE OF THE BOWL

THAT THIS NEW LIFE IS ETERNAL

IT TEACHES

IN THE SWEETNESS

OF THE HONEY AND RAISINS

THE BLISS OF THE NEW LIFE

IT TEACHES

IN THE LIT CANDLE

THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF BAPTISM

IS NOW A PERPETUAL LIGHT

WHICH CANNOT GO OUT

AT THE END OF THE SERVICE

IT IS SHARED BY THE MOURNERS

IT TEACHES

TASTE AND SEE

HOW GOOD THE LORD IS

IN AFRICA

ESPECIALLY IN SWAHILI LAND

THEY HAVE A THREEFOLD

CONCEPT OF EXISTENCE

THAT GOES LIKE THIS

FIRST

THERE IS NORMAL LIFE

SECOND

THERE IS SASHA

THE LIVING DEAD

THEY LIVE

AS LONG AS PEOPLE

REMEMBER THEM

THIRD

THERE IS ZAMANI

THOSE REMEMBERED AS ANCESTORS

WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL REMEMBRANCE

THE LINE BETWEEN

SASHA AND ZAMANI

IS NOT HARD

A PERSON CAN DRIFT BACK AND FORTH

AS TIME GOES ON

HOW CLOSE IT COMES

TO THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

THAT GREAT BODY

WHICH INCLUDES US

OUR BELOVED

REMEMBERED DEAD

OUR FORGOTTEN DEAD

ALL ONE BODY

THE EARLY CHURCH

PRAYED FOR THE DEAD

THAT GOD MIGHT SHINE ON THEM

AND GIVE THEM PEACE

WITHOUT GETTING

INTO THE DEBATE

ABOUT PURGATORY

FOR WHICH THERE ARE ARGUMENTS

PRO AND CON

THE EARLY CHURCH

PRAYED FOR THE DEAD

WE WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER

THE CHURCH WAS NOT FOUNDED IN GERMANY

IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

BUT IN PALESTINE

TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO

WITH A PREVIOUS

LONG JEWISH HISTORY

WE PRAY FOR THE DEAD

THAT THEY MIGHT FIND PEACE

WE MARK IT IN THEIR TOMBSTONE

R.I.P.

BUT WHO REMEMBERS

THOSE

UNTIMELY RIPPED

FROM THEIR MOTHER’S WOMBS

THOSE BORN POOR

LIVED POOR

DIED POOR

WITH NEVER A FULL BELLY

THOSE UNWILLING VICTIMS

OF RACIAL PRIDE

NATIONALISTIC PRIDE

ARROGANT BEHAVIOR

AN UNFEELING CHURCH

WHO PRAYS FOR THEM

THE ZAMANI

THE UNKNOWN DEAD

WHO PRAYS FOR THEM

LET US NOW PRAY

FOR ERIC MY SON

HE WAS A GENTLE MAN

HE WAS A GENTLEMAN

HE WAS A SINNER

I TAUGHT HIM WELL

SWEET JESUS

GIVE HIM REST

HE WILL BE MY PERSONAL SASHA

AS LONG AS I SHALL LIVE

MAY YOUR LIGHT ETERNAL

SHINE ON HIM

MAY YOUR SMILE

BE ALWAYS ON HIM

AS ONE SHEPHERD TO ANOTHER

TAKE CARE

OF MY LITTLE LAMB

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ROWBOATS

THE BOATS WERE GATHERED AROUND THE DOCK

WONDERING WHERE THEIR SAILORS WERE

SOON THEY WOULD BE PUT AWAY

IT WAS THE TIME

FOR THE PUTTING AWAY

THE TOYS OF SUMMER

THE TREES HAD DRESSED FOR ONE LAST DANCE

THE HAWK   GOOSE   AND BLACKBIRD

DECORATED THE SKY WITH THEIR PASSING

THE LOON

IT SEEMS JUST RECENTLY BORN

WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS

AWKWARD AND UNGAINLY

MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM LAKE TO OCEAN

AS AWKWARD AND UNGAINLY

AS MOST TRANSITIONS ARE

THE LAKE

FLAT AS A MIRROR

SENT A RIPPLE

TO PASS BENEATH THE DOCK

WHERE I SAT

ENJOYING THE WARM FALL DAY

RESTING FROM THE PUTTING AWAY OF TOYS

WAS IT AN ANSWER FROM GOD

FOR A PRAYER I'D SAID

AND ANSWERED

AS SO MANY PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED

WHEN THE WORLD IS IN TRANSITION

IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE

WE SEE A LEAF IN FLIGHT

ACTING AS IT WERE ENJOYING THE MOMENT

WE LIFT WITH THE LEAF

WE FEEL ITS JOY AND FREEDOM

SO THAT WE ARE MOVED TO TAKE A STICK

RIPPLE THE WATER

SENDING A THANK YOU

BACK TO GOD

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THE MESSAGE

WOE TO THOSE WHO MAKE UNJUST LAWS...TO DEPRIVE THE POOR OF THEIR RIGHTS
AND WITHHOLD JUSTICE FROM THE OPPRESSED. ISAIAH 10:1-2

LET EACH OF YOU LOOK NOT TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS, BUT TO THE INTERESTS OF
OTHERS. PHILIPPIANS 2:4

I OFTEN WONDER

IF I’M USING THE RIGHT VERSION

OF THE BIBLE

IT DOESN’T RESEMBLE

THE MESSAGE

DELIVERED BY THE BIBLE THUMBERS

MY VERSION HAS QUOTES

LIKE THE ONES ABOVE

IN FACT

IT HAS MANY SUCH QUOTES

FROM ADAM TO CHRIST

CULMINATING IN CHRIST SAYING

(INCAPSULATING THE BIBLE)

WHATSOEVER YOU DO

TO THE LEAST OF MY BRETHREN

THAT

YOU DO UNTO ME

HE DIDN’T SAY

WEALTHY

WISE

IMPORTANT

BUT LEAST

HE DIDN’T SAY HIDE THEM

IGNORE THEM

KILL THEM

HE SAID

TREAT THEM AS ME

WHERE IS THAT MESSAGE PREACHED

WHERE IS THAT MESSAGE HEARD

WHERE IS THAT MESSAGE BELIEVED

WHERE IS THAT MESSAGE PRACTICED

WHERE ARE THE VOICES

CALLING FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND HATE

WHERE ARE THE CHURCHES

CALLING FOR GOSPEL LIVING

NOT A MUMBLE

I AM REMINDED

OF A QUOTE BY REINHOLD NIEBUHR

AND OTHERS WHEN THEY SAID

TO ANYONE WHO SAYS THAT’S OLD HAT

READ THE NEWSPAPER

TOLLE  LEGE

READ THE NEWSPAPER

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