GRAB BAG

GRAB BAG


BY


FRANK A VOLLMER

THE CALL

I AM EMBARRASSED

WHEN LIGHTNING STRUCK NEAR OUR HOUSE

FELLING A TREE

COSTING ME TEN YEARS OF GROWTH

WHICH I CAN ILL AFFORD

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS

WHAT’S GOD TRYING TO SAY TO ME

IN ANOTHER LIFE

I WAS PROBABLY AN AUSPEX

OR SHAMAN

I SEE THINGS

WHERE THERE IS NOTHING

BUT GOD DOESN’T SPEAK IN THUNDER

BUT IN WHISPERS

AS HE DID TO SAMUEL

WHO WAS APPRENTICED TO ELI

WHEN BOTH WERE SLEEPING

HASHEM CAME

CALLING

SAMUEL

HE RAN TO ELI

YOU CALLED

NO

GO BACK TO SLEEP

ONCE MORE DID HASHEM CALL

ONCE MORE DID SAMUEL RUN TO ELI

ONCE MORE DID ELI SAY

GO BACK TO BED

I DID NOT CALL

BUT HASHEM WOULD NOT GO AWAY

BUT CALLED AGAIN

SAMUEL

BUT THIS TIME ELI SAID

ASK THE VOICE WHAT IT WANTS

THAT YOU ARE LISTENING

THE VOICE SAID

I WILL DO A GREAT THING IN ISRAEL

SUCH THAT THOSE WHO HEAR ABOUT IT

SHALL FEEL TINGLING IN THEIR EAR

WHEN ELI ASKED

WHAT DID THE VOICE SAY

SAMUEL WAS RELUCTANT

FOR THE JUDGMENT WAS AGAINST ELI

AND HIS SONS

THEY WERE PRIESTS
WHO WERE COMMITTING SACRILEGE
ELI KNEW BUT DID NOTHING

ELI SAID TO HIM

TELL ME ALL

GOOD AND BAD

FOR GOD HAS SPOKEN

IT CAME TO PASS

MESSAGES FROM GOD

OFTEN ASK US TO DO THINGS

WE WOULD RATHER NOT DO

LIKE TELLING HIS PSEUDO FATHER

BAD NEWS

BUT GOD DOESN’T SPEAK IN THUNDER

BUT IN WHISPERS

LIKE A LULLABY

SUNG TO SLEEPY CHILD

THE SURFACE OF A POND

DISTURBED

BY A LIGHT BREEZE

OR AN

AHA

MOMENT

IN THE QUIET OF OUR HEARTS

WE LISTEN AND RESPOND

BUT WE MUST BE QUIET

TO HEAR

MAY IT COME TO PASS

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@.

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

WITH A YELLOW CUP

CELEBRATE MY LIFE

AND I SHALL LIVE ON

I SHALL PERMEATE YOUR LIFE

LIKE AN AROMA

WAFTING FROM THE KITCHEN

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

SWAN

ACCORDING

TO WHICH TRANSLATION YOU USE

THE SWAN IS CONSIDERED

AN UNCLEAN ANIMAL

PERHAPS GOD FELT

THAT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL

SHOULD NOT BE FOOD

WE HAD A SWAN ON OUR LAKE

IT DIED

PROTECTING NEST AND MATE

ECHOES OF

GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE

BUT TO GIVE HIS LIFE

FOR ANOTHER

WHAT HE DID

WAS INSTINCTIVE

AND BRAVE

IN HIS MIND

HE WAS DOING

THE RIGHT THING

WITHOUT BACKING MYSELF

IN SOME PHILOSOPHICAL CORNER

WE OF THE HIGHER ORDER

COULD WELL TO LEARN FROM HIM

HE SAW THE RIGHT THING

THEN DID IT

WHILE WE

LIKE PAUL

KNOW THE RIGHT THING

BUT DO NOT DO IT

KNOW THE WRONG THING

THAT WE DO 

SO MUCH FOR THE HIGHER ORDER

SWAN ONE

MAN ZIP

IN MANY WALKS OF LIFE

IF SOMEONE HAS A FAULT

THEY WORK ON IT

A GOLFER

PRACTICES HIS SWING

A PIANIST

PLAYS ENDLESS SCALES

A PILOT

WORKS ON UNDERSTANDING HIS AIRCRAFT

THESE AND MANY MORE

WORK TO REMOVE A FAULT

BUT IN OTHER WAYS

WE ARE LIKE THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH

WHO DID NOT KNOW

THEIR LEFT FROM THEIR RIGHT

AS DUMB AS THEY WERE

THEY RESPONDED

TO THE CALL

DO THE RIGHT THING

WHAT EVER THE COST

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

THE DAY JOSEPH HELD THE BABY

I HAD GONE TO CHURCH

TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

WHEN I WAS MET AT THE DOOR

BY THE DIRECTOR

CAN YOU BE JOSEPH

JOSEPH IS SICK

WHAT ARE MY LINES

 WHAT DO I DO

YOU HAVE NO LINES

JUST STAND AROUND

LOOKING HOLY

IT’S A STRETCH I SAID

BUT I’LL GIVE IT A SHOT

NOW I’VE BEEN A SHEPHERD

WRAPPED IN SHEETS

TENDING COTTON COVERED LAMBS

I’VE BEEN A MAGI

IN A BATHROBE

I’VE BEEN AN ANGEL WITH WINGS

MONITORING CHERUBS

SO THEY WON’T FIGHT

BUT JOSEPH

I’VE NEVER HAD THE HONOR

SO ON THE STAGE WE WENT

MY EIGHT YEAR OLD BRIDE

 HER EIGHTY FIVE

YEAR OLD HUSBAND

WHAT A LOVELY PAIR

SHE WAS HOLDING THE BABY DOLL

SOMETIMES SHE’D PUT IT IN THE CRIB

THEN SHE SAID TO ME

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HOLD THE BABY

I WAS SET BACK

FOR AN INSTANT

IN ALL MY YEARS

I’VE NEVER SEEN JOSEPH

HOLD THE BABY

IT WAS ONLY A DOLL

BUT WHEN I HELD IT

I FELT TRANSFORMED

INTO A BETTER PERSON

SO THAT WHEN SHE ASKED FOR IT BACK

I DID

BUT WITH RELUCTANCE

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY

THE DOLL SMILED AT ME

BUT IT DIDN’T HAPPEN

BUT THERE WAS A WARM SPOT

IN MY HEART

I WON’T SOON FORGET

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

SOTER

I RECALL

THE WORD ACHILLES SAID TO ODYSSEUS

WHEN THEY MET IN HADES

(THE ROOT OF WHICH IS ‘UNSEEN’)

Do not speak soothingly to me of death, Odysseus.

I should choose to serve as the hireling of another,

Rather than to be lord over the dead that have perished

A SAD VIEW OF THE AFTERLIFE

CHRISTIANS

ON THE OTHER HAND

HAVE ANOTHER VIEW

A REWARD OF HEAVEN

AFTER A GOOD

OR REPENTANT LIFE

THEY STRIVE FOR HEAVEN

THEY ARE OFTEN

SO TAKEN

WITH THE QUEST

FOR THE BEATIFIC VISION

THEY DO NOT SEE

THE BLOODY FACE OF CHRIST

ON EARTH

WHATSOEVER

YOU DO

YOU DO

TO ME

ARE WE SO TAKEN

BY THOUGHTS OF HEAVEN

WE ARE NO EARTHLY GOOD

BUT THIS WORLD

HAS BEEN CREATED FOR US

TO MAKE BETTER

TO HELP RESTORE CREATION

THE CHRISTIAN

MUST BE INVOLVED IN THE WORLD FIRST

TO MAKE CHRIST’S WORDS MEANINGFUL

WHATSOEVER

YOU DO

YOU DO

TO ME

ONE OF MINE

HAS GONE TO THAT UNSEEN LAND

NOT HADES

BUT HEAVEN

OH GOD

BE MERCIFUL

TO HIM A SINNER

GATHER MY LAMB

TO YOUR BOSOM

TAKE HIM HOME

MAY THE SON

THAT NEVER SETS

KEEP HIM WARM

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

THE WIDOW

YOU SON OF A BITCH

WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME

YOU SON OF A BITCH

SHE THOUGHT THE WORDS

SHE DIDN’T SAY THEM

IT STARTLED HER

SHE KNEW THE WORDS

BUT DIDN’T USE THEM

WHERE DID THEY COME FROM

WHAT WELL OF LONELINESS

WHERE GHOSTS DWELL

 UNICORNS RUN FREE

WHAT BROUGHT IT ON

DID SHE ROLL OVER

FIND THE BED EMPTY

DID SHE SOMEHOW MISS

THE TOILET SEAT UP

OR UNDERWEAR ON THE FLOOR

DID SHE MISS HIS TALKING TO THE TV

WHEN THE NEWS WAS ON

OR THE QUARTERBACK

THREW AN INTERCEPTION

WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME

WHY

SHE CRIES INTO A SOGGY PILLOW

THE SHADOWS SURROUND HER

THEY SAY NOTHING IN REPLY

BUT SOME OF YOU IS MISSING

YOU’RE ALLOWED TO CRY

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

THE GREAT WAVE

THEY AROSE IN DARKNESS

TO SAVE THE LIGHT

HOW MANY THINGS BEGIN IN THE DARK

SOME FOUND BREAKFAST WARM ON THE TABLE

SOME FOUND BREAKFAST COLD

SOME LEFT A HOME WARMED BY LOVE

SOME LEFT A HOME…

THEY'D FISH ALL DAY AND IF THEY WERE LUCKY

THEY'D CLEAN THE FISH BY TWILIGHT

THEY'D ROWED OUT SINGING SONGS

BAWDY SONGS

ROWING SONGS

NONSENSE SONGS

SONGS TO KEEP THE OARS GLISTENING

IN TIME TO THE BEAT

THE SEA WAS FLAT

THE CATCH WAS GOOD

THEY WERE STARTING HOME

WHEN THE SEA ROSE TOWERING ABOVE THEM

IN FEAR THEY WONDERED

WHAT GOD THEY HAD OFFENDED

FOR PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW THE TRUTH

WE HAVEN'T WANDERED FAR FROM THAT THOUGHT

WHAT GOD HAVE WE OFFENDED

WHEN THEY SAW THE WAVE

DID THEY RUE THE LOST CARGO

OR MOMENTS OF LOVE

PASSED BY AND IGNORED

IT ROSE OVER THEM

PASSED OVER THEM

LEAVING DEBRIS AND BROKEN BODIES

BODIES FALLING THROUGH THE SEA

ARMS OVER THEIR HEAD

THEIR HANDS FLUTTERING

AS IF THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY

GOODBYE

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

THOMAS

MY HEART SAYS

I WOULD HAVE LIKED

TO HAVE BEEN

LIKE MARY MAGDALENE

WHO LOVED JESUS WITHOUT QUESTION

WHO RAN FROM THE TOMB

WITH SUCH EXCITEMENT

THE APOSTLES THOUGHT HER HYSTERICAL

I WOULD HAVE

LIKED TO HAVE BEEN

LIKE MARY

BUT MY ENGINEERS HEAD

SAYS I WOULD HAVE BEEN

LIKE THOMAS

MY HEAD SAYS

IT MUST BE PROVEN IN THE LAB

IN THE WIND TUNNEL

BY TEST FLYING THE AIRPLANE

IT IS THE WAY OF MEN TO MEASURE

THE BOOKKEEPER ADDS HIS NUMBERS

THE SHOPPER FIGURES COST

THE STOREKEEPER ADDS PROFIT

THE LAWYER ASSESSES LOSS

THE MOTHER COUNTS THE MEALS

THE TRAVELER WONDERS HOW FAR

WE MEASURE THINGS AS MEN

EVEN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL POEMS

IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SPEAKS OF LOVE THIS WAY

HOW DO I LOVE THEE?

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

I LOVE THEE TO THE DEPTH

AND BREADTH

AND HEIGHT

MY SOUL CAN REACH

WHEN FEELING OUT OF SIGHT

FOR THE ENDS OF BEING

AND IDEAL GRACE

MEN MEASURE

PERHAPS

IT'S BECAUSE

BY SIN

DEATH

CAME INTO THE WORLD

AND THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE

ARE LIMITED

SO WE MEASURE

EVERYTHING

AGAINST THE FINAL

NIGHTFALL

I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THOMAS

AND JESUS SAYS

THAT'S ALL RIGHT

I LIKE YOU

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

I WOULD HAVE YOU BETTER

BUT I LOVE YOU

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THOMAS

I WOULD HAVE LIKED

TO HAVE BEEN

LIKE MARY MAGDALENE

WHO LOVED JESUS PASSIONATELY

WITHOUT QUESTIONS

BUT LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS TO HER

IN HIS HASTE TO BE WITH US

HE SAYS TO HER

DO NOT CLING TO ME

BUT GO TELL MY DISCIPLES

I AM COMING"

HE WAS EAGER

TO BE WITH THE ONES

WHO NEEDED HIS LOVE

THE EMPTY

BROKEN

HURTING PEOPLE

MARY KNEW SHE WAS LOVED

THE OTHERS STILL WERE IN DARKNESS

HE HAD TO BE WITH THEM

WITH PETER WHO BETRAYED HIM

WITH THOMAS WHO DOUBTED HIM

WITH ALL THOSE WHO HAD RUN AWAY

GOD ALWAYS SEEMS TO PICK

BROKEN PEOPLE FOR HIS WORK

HE PICKED MOSES WHO STUTTERED

DAVID AN ADULTERER AND MURDERER

JACOB WHO STOLE AND CHEATED

NOAH WHO DRANK AND GOT DRUNK

GOD'S ALMOST PEOPLE

HE SAYS

WITH YOU I WANT TO BE

MY ALMOST PEOPLE

WHY GOD

WOULD YOU WANT TO BE WITH US

WE ARE BETRAYERS

DOUBTERS

IMPERFECT

ALMOST PEOPLE

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE WITH US

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU HE SAYS

IN THE LANGUAGE OF CHILDREN WE SAY

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE US GOD

SHOW US HOW MUCH YOU LOVE US

IN THE LANGUAGE OF CHILDREN

HE REPLIES

THIS MUCH (EXTEND ARMS)

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

TREE AT SUNSET

IT WAS DARK

THE END OF A DAY

A NOVEMBER DAY

THE CLOUDS RAN ENDLESS

SOFTLY STAINED BY FADING SUN

THAT COLORED THE HORIZON

THERE SILHOUETTED STOOD THE TREE

CARVED IN BLACK UPON THE ROSE

AND STREAKS OF PEARL TONED SKY

A SENSE OF SYMMETRY IN ITS' BRANCHES

A SENSE OF STRENGTH IN ITS' TRUNK AND STRONGER ARMS

A SLEEPING GIANT

BEFORE MY GOD SOMEDAY I'LL STAND

LIKE WINTER TREE

NO LEAFY BOUGH TO HIDE MY DEFECTS UNDER

QUICKLY CRUMBLED AWAY THE DAY

DARK AND CHILL WERE MY COMPANIONS

BUT THE MEMORY LINGERED

I FELT IT NOT TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

THE SHELL

IS IT JUST HIS DEATH THAT WE REMEMBER

IN THE GIVING OF THIS CUP

THIS SHELL THIS BAPTISMAL DEVICE

THIS GOLDEN SCALLOP

THAT SCOOPS UP WATER FROM THE FONT

THEN TRICKLES IT DOWN OUR HEAD

AND CALL US TO BE CHRISTIAN

DO WE JUST REMEMBER HIS DEATH

OR MORE FOR IS NOT THE CUP A SYMBOL POOR

OF SOME GREAT WAVE THAT OVERWHELMS US

SPILLING US FROM OUR FEET

PLUNGING US INTO A VIOLENT SEA

BEATING PUMMELING CHOKING BRUISING

UNTIL WE STRUGGLE TO OUR FEET

GASPING AIR AS SOMETHING PRECIOUS

WILLING TO LIVE

A BETTER SYMBOL PERHAPS OF THAT TIME

WHEN ALL THAT WAS MY FATHER CEASED

 ALL HE WANTED TO BE BECAME

A GOING AWAY AND COMING BACK

A SAYING OF HELLO -GOODBYE

TO CALL MY FATHER A SAINT

WOULD BE TO NOT REMEMBER HIM

BUT TO CALL HIM A MAN

WHO LAUGHED AND LONGED YEARNED AND DREAMED

WHO CRIED OUT OFTEN IN THE DARKNESS OF HIS BEING

WHO WAS OFTEN ANGRY HURT OR IN SOME PAIN

WHO LOVED WITH BOTH A LARGE AND NARROW HEART

WHO WANTED LOVE APPLAUSE AND OTHER MAN'S ESTEEM

WHO SAW DREAMS CRUMBLE IN HIS ALL THUMBS HAND

WHO CRIED OH GOD TELLS ME WHO I AM

THIS PICTURE OF A MAN WHO AS I GROW

BECOMES SURPRISINGLY JUST LIKE ME

THIS CUP IN WHOSE HOLLOW I CAN HEAR THE OCEAN'S ROAR

THIS SYMBOL OF AN OCEAN POOR

THIS GOING DOWN TO DEATH

TO BE CALLED BACK BY WATER

RUNNING LIKE RAINDROPS ON THE FACE

LIKE MY TEARS FALLING AS MY FATHER WENT

FOR REBIRTH

 THE BEGINNING OF DREAMS

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

things

there are birds

eating seeds

from my feeder

there are birds

nesting

IN my trees

the birds are singing

lauds

or vespers

and other hours in between

as i sit in my lawn chair

pleased with myself

and all i see

my piece of ground

my home

lord of all i own

or a vassal

servant really

given talents to invest

given things

not just to have

but to share

to give my song

as freely as the birds

to chant my thanks

for all he has done

for me

and be ready to fly home

when called

uneNCUMBERED BY things

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@