Fisher of Men

FISHER OF MEN

WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE YOUNG
WE SPENT EACH SUMMER
CAMPING IN THE WOODS OF PENNSYLVANIA
OVER TIME
MY CHILDREN BECAME EXPERT FISHERMEN
EVEN TODAY
MY CHILDREN FISH IN PLACES
LIKE ALASKA, MEXICO, MAINE, JAPAN, PENNSYLVANIA AND CALIFORNIA
THEY ARE KIND OF ADDICTED TO FISHING

DAD DID NOT FISH
HE WAS TOO BUSY BAITING HOOKS
POOR DAD

SO ONE FATHER’S DAY
MY CHILDREN GAVE ME A POCKET FISHERMAN
WHICH WAS A FOLD UP FISHING POLE
WITH A SET OF HOOKS

NEXT DAY
EARLY IN THE MORNING
I PICKED UP
MY POCKET FISHERMAN
AND WALKED TO THE LAKE
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING
WITH FOG
LAYING ON THE GROUND
ABOUT FOUR FEET THICK
SO THAT ALL YOU COULD SEE
OF ME
OR ANYONE ELSE
WAS OUR HEADS

WHEN I GOT TO THE LAKE
I SAW A MAN FISHING
SO OUT OF COURTESY
I MOVE A HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM HIM
I UNFOLDED MY FISHING POLE
BAITED MY HOOK
REACHED BACK WITH MY POLE
MADE A PERFECT CAST
AND CAUGHT THE TREE BEHIND ME

AFTER A TERRIFIC FIGHT WITH THE TREE
I FREED MY HOOK
BUT NOT BEFORE I HAD AWAKENED
EVERY BIRD IN THE FOREST
NOT TO MENTION
SEVERAL SCOLDING SQUIRRELS
AND SORRY TO SAY
MY FISHING COMPANION
WHO WAS A HUNDRED FEET AWAY
LEFT IN ABSOLUTE DISGUST
AT MY AMATEURISHNESS

IF AT THAT MOMENT
JESUS HAD WALKED THROUGH THE MIST
AND SAID TO ME
FRANK
I WILL MAKE YOU A FISHER OF MEN
I WOULD HAVE SAID
YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING

BUT GOD IS GOOD AT TAKING
THE BROKEN SPEAR
THE UNBROKEN HORSE
THE INEPT FISHERMAN
AND WORKING HIS WILL THROUGH THEM


SO JESUS SAYS
INVITING ME TO BE HIS DISCIPLE
INVITING ME
KNOWING I AM NOT UP TO THE JOB
INVITING ME
KNOWING
THAT AS A FISHERMAN
I OFTEN CATCH TREES

BUT HIS MIGHT
WILL MAKE UP
FOR MY LACK

HE INVITES ME
BECAUSE A LONELY GOD
NEEDS ME
FOR A FRIEND
AND CO-WORKER

HE SAYS
COME
COME MY BELOVED
COME
MY LITTLE CATCHER OF TREES
COME
I WILL MAKE YOU A FISHER OF MEN

COME
BE WITH ME
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU
COME
COME
AND BE MY FRIEND




FRANK A VOLLMER