The Deep

BIRTH AND CONCEPTION ARE MESSY THINGS

THEY PUT YOU IN AN AWKWARD POSITION

SUITABLE BEGINNINGS FOR A PEOPLE

WHOSE LIVES ARE OFTEN MARKED

BY THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

SO MUCH OF LIFE IS MESSY

WE GET DIRTY FROM WORK OR PLAY

WE LOSE CONTROL OF OUR BODIES

AS WE GET OLD

WE HAD NO CONTROL

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG

WE WEEP AT HIGH EMOTION

OR IN SADNESS

EVEN EATING LEAVES A NAPKIN DIRTY

IT'S WHERE WE ARE

AND WHO WE ARE

SO JESUS

THE SYNAGOGUE

CLOSED TO HIM

SAT IN A BOAT

AND TOLD HOMEY STORIES

THE TEACHER

SAT IN A BOAT

REDOLENT

OF CATCHES PAST

OF SWEAT FROM WORKMAN NOW

THEY'D LABORED ALL NIGHTAND CAUGHT NOTHING

THEN HE SAID

PUSH OUT INTO THE DEEP

PUSH OUT

AND GO WHERE YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE

MASTER

WE HAVE LABORED ALL NIGHT

AND CAUGHT NOTHING

BUT AT YOUR WORD

WE WILL DO IT

SO THEY WENT TO THE DEEP

WHERE DEMONS DWELL

LETTING GO

LETTING GOD

AND CAUGHT FISH

THAT MADE THEM FORGET THEY WERE TIRED

AND CAUGHT FISH

BEYOND THEIR EXPERIENCE

AND CAUGHT MEN UP IN A DREAM

THAT FISH WOULD ALWAYS BE PLENTIFUL

AND THE DEEP WOULD HAVE NO DEMONS

THEY COULDN'T FACE

FRANK A VOLLMER