Doves

DOVES

THE SHIPS IN BIBLE DAYS
ALWAYS SAILED ALONG THE SHORE
IN SIGHT OF LAND

THEY WERE AFRAID
TO GO OUT INTO THE DEEP

THEIR FEAR
WAS TO BE BLOWN OFF COURSE
DRIVEN OUT TO SEA
AND SEE NO LAND

BUT AS MEN WHO KNEW THE SEA
THEY CARRIED DOVES

THEY'D RELEASE THEM

AND IF THEY FOUND NO LAND
THEY'D RETURNED TO THEIR MATE

IF THEY FOUND LAND
THEY'D RETURN WITH GREENERY
IN THEIR CROP
AS A TREAT FOR THEIR MATE

AND THE SAILORS WOULD KNOW
FROM THE FLIGHT OF THE DOVE
WHERE LAND
AND SAFETY WERE
AND THE GREEN GROWTH OF HOPE

FITTING THAT THE SPIRIT
SHOULD BE SHOWN AS A DOVE
SHOWING US THEY WAY
WHEN WE'RE LOST A SEA

FRANK A VOLLMER

Second Lent

TODAY AS YOU KNOW
IS THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
IN TODAY'S GOSPEL
WE HEAR THE PHARISEES
TELL JESUS
THAT HEROD THE RULER
WANTED TO KILL HIM

THEY DID THIS FOR TWO REASONS
FIRST JESUS WAS PREACHING IN GALILEE
WHERE HEROD WAS RULER
AND HE WAS ATTRACTING CROWDS
WITH HIS TEACHINGS

AND HIS TEACHINGS
WERE THREATENING
THE PRIVILEGED POSITION
OF THE PHARISEES

SO THEY WOULD LIKE HIM
TO GO ELSEWHERE
TO GO ANYWHERE AND PREACH
BUT LEAVE THEM ALONE

SECOND THEY HOPED
THAT JESUS WOULD GO TO JERUSALEM
AND GET CAUGHT UP
IN THE POLITICAL INTRIGUE
THAT WAS RAMPANT IN THE CITY
AND AS A RESULT
THE ROMANS WOULD KILL HIM

THE HEROD
THE PHARISEES WERE TALKING ABOUT
WAS THE SAME HEROD
THAT HAD PUT
JOHN THE BAPTIST TO DEATH

SO THE THREAT OF DEATH WAS VERY REAL



BUT JESUS ANSWERS
TELL THAT FOX
THAT I WILL CAST OUT DEMONS
AND WILL HEAL PEOPLE
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND ON THE THIRD DAY

WHICH IS THE HEBREW WAY
OF SAYING
I WILL STAY HERE
UNTIL I ACCOMPLISH MY PURPOSE

IT IS ALMOST AN ECHO
OF LUTHER
SAYING HERE I STAND
I CANNOT BE ELSEWHERE

WHAT JESUS
IS SAYING TO HEROD
AND TO ALL THE HERODS
OF THE WORLD
HERE I STAND
TO BRING SALVATION
YOU CANNOT CHASE ME AWAY
HERE I STAND
LIKE A SIGN
POINTING THE WAY

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT SIGNS

A WOMAN DRIVES HER CAR
ALONG THE HIGHWAY
SHE SEES THE MANY SIGNS
THAT EDGE OUR ROADS
SCHOOL AHEAD
GO SLOW
THE NEXT CITY - WEST OSSIPEE
THE MILEAGE 12 MILES
LITTLE CAESAR'S PIZZA-PIZZA

SHE SEES WASH
HANGING ON THE LINE
SHE SEES OTHER CARS IN FRONT
OR IN THE CAR MIRROR
OCCASIONALLY
WHEN THE LIGHT IS RIGHT
SHE SEES
HER OWN FACE
REFLECTED IN THE WINDSHIELD

SHE IS DRIVING BY A CLIFF
SET BACK FROM THE ROAD
IT IS A STEEP CLIFF
SO STEEP
THAT WHEN SHE SEES THE SIGN
SHE WONDERS
HOW ANYONE COULD CLIMB
THE CLIFF'S FACE
AND PUT IT THERE

THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN IN LARGE CLUMSY LETTERS
WITH WHITE PAINT
THAT TRICKLES DOWN
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTERS
AS IF THE LETTERS
WERE FALLING APART
OR MELTING
OR MAYBE CRYING

THE SIGN SAYS
JESUS SAVES
THAT'S ALL
ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
OF THE HIGHWAY
LIKE
RIGHT TURN ONLY
TOLL BOOTH AHEAD
THE SPEED LIMIT
AND DESTINATIONS

ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SIGNS
WAS THIS SIGN
JESUS SAVES

AND THE WOMAN
LIKE MOST OF US
FELT AWKWARD WITH THE SIGN
FELT AN INTERNAL SQUIRM
AT THE MESSAGE
EVEN THOUGH
LIKE MOST OF US
SHE KNEW IT TO BE TRUE


SHE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH THE SIGN
AND ITS' PUBLIC MESSAGE

LIKE SAYING GRACE IN PUBLIC

GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT KIND OF PERSON
MUST HAVE CLIMBED UP THERE
WITH A BUCKET
AND A BRUSH
TO SPLASH THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFF:
MAYBE MAN
MAYBE WOMAN
MAYBE YOUNG OR OLD
DRUNK OR SOBER
IN DAYLIGHT
OR IN THE DARK

GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT DROVE THE PAINTER
TO PAINT THIS SIGN;
SIN OR REDEMPTION
JOY OR REMORSE
POSSIBLY A DARE
POSSIBLY A PRAYER


WHAT EVER THE REASON
IN OUR STRANGE TIMES
AMONG PEOPLE LIKE US
AMONG PEOPLE JUST LIKE US
AMONG US
THE EFFECT
OF THE MESSAGE ON THE HILLSIDE
THAT JESUS SAVES
MAKES US SQUIRM

AND I THINK
WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE WE ARE EMBARRASSED
AND WE ARE EMBARRASSED
FOR MANY REASONS

EMBARRASSED
PERHAPS
BECAUSE THE WORDS
REMIND US OF OLD TIME RELIGION
OF SHOUT AND HOLLER
OF PULPIT POUNDING
OF GOD'S GONNA GET YOU


WE SQUIRM
BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING
IN THE NAME
JESUS ITSELF
THAT EMBARRASSES US
WHEN IT STANDS
NAKED
AND ALONE

JUST JESUS
BY ITSELF
WITHOUT A TITLE
LIKE A FRIEND'S NAME
IT MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE

WE WOULD ACCEPT
CHRIST SAVES
THAT'S HIS JOB
BUT JESUS SAVES
AS IN JESUS SAVES FRANK
OR BARBARA OR ALICE
OR JOE OR FRED OR WADE
OR WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS

IS LIKE A LOVER
CARVING HIS
AND HIS LOVED ONE'S NAME
ON A TREE

IT HAS AN AIR ABOUT IT
LIKE A LOVE SONG

MAYBE JESUS SAVES
WRITTEN ON THE CLIFF
IS EMBARRASSING
BECAUSE RELIGION
IN SOME WAYS
HAS BECOME EMBARRASSING

MAYBE OUR WINCING
IS A WAY
TO HIDE OUR EYES
TO STOP UP OUR EARS








BECAUSE WE SOMEHOW KNOW
THAT IF THE MESSAGE GOT THROUGH
IT WOULD SAY DIRECTLY
CLEARLY
UNMISTAKABLY
FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE

THAT WE
YOU AND I
NEED TO BE SAVED

RICH MAN POOR MAN
YOUNG WOMAN OLD WOMAN
EDUCATED
UNLETTERED
RELIGIOUS UNRELIGIOUS



ALL OF US
YOU AND I
ALL OF US
NEED TO BE SAVED

AND THAT
IS OFFENSIVE TO US
FOR WHAT IT SAYS
IS

YOU HAVE NO PEACE
WITHIN YOUR SKIN-
YOU ARE NOT HAPPY
YOU ARE NOT WHOLE

OUR HUMANITY
REACTS AGAINST THE THOUGHT

OUR SELF SUFFICIENT HUMANITY
WHICH CONTINUALLY
WANTS THE APPLE
MORE THAN IT WANTS THE GARDEN
REACTS
AGAINST THE THOUGHT

WHAT FOOL
WOULD CLIMB THAT CLIFF
TO WRITE A MESSAGE
THAT OFFENDS ME


WHAT FOOL DARES
TO GIVE ME SUCH ADVICE

WHAT FOOL DARES
TO QUESTION
MY SELF-SUFFICIENC

IF YOU HAD SAID
GOD SAVES
I COULD ARGUE WITH GOD
BUT YOU SAID
JESUS
AS IF TO SAY
FRIEND

AND I SEE THAT FRIEND
FOR WHAT THE WORLD
HAS MADE HIM
A FOOL
DESPISED AND REJECTED

A LAUGHING STOCK AMONG THE NATIONS
WITH HIS RIDICULOUS SLOGAN

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

AND I AM
EMBARRASSED BY HIM
AND THE SIGN ON THE CLIFF

THE BAD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE LEFT
SAID IN A TAUNT
IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST
SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US

HOW LIKE HIM WE ARE
WHEN OUR LIFE'S ACTIONS
HANG US ON THE LEFT CROSS




WE CRY

SAVE YOURSELF
AND SAVE US

OH WE ARE NOT SORRY FOR YOUR PAIN
BECAUSE WE DO NOT ALWAYS NEED YOU
ONLY WHEN ALL THE APPLES
WE HAVE EATEN FROM THE TREE
MAKE US SICK
THEN WE NEED YOU

SAVE US SAVE US
ME
MORE THAN YOU
SAVE US

BUT THE GOOD THIEF
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT
REBUKED THE BAD THIEF
FOR HIS ARROGANCE
THEN SPOKE
WITH ALMOST THE SAME ARROGANCE
WHEN HE SAID
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME IN TO YOUR KINGDOM

TWO ARROGANT PETITIONS
BUT FROM DIFFERENT HEARTS
ONE SPOKEN IN ANGER
ONE SPOKEN IN TRUST
AND HOPE

AND TO THE TRUSTING
HOPEFUL HEART
HE SAID
TRULY
TODAY
YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE

I WONDER
WHAT THE GUARDS THOUGHT
WHEN THEY HEARD THIS CONVERSATION
DID IT INTERRUPT THEIR DICE GAME

WERE THEY PERHAPS EMBARRASSED
BY THE GOODNESS
OF THE MAN THEY WERE KILLING

OR DID THEY THINK
THAT THE PAIN
OF THEIR TORTURE
HAD ROBBED HIS MIND OF REASON

HOW COULD THAT ONE
SAVE ANYONE
NAILED TO THE TREE
WITH GOOD STOUT NAILS

WITH THE SIGN ABOVE HIS HEAD
WHICH MOCKED HIM AS KING

THEY'D BEEN WITH HIM
WHEN THEY'D WHIPPED
AND CROWNED HIM
AND THEY HAD HEARD
NEITHER CURSE NOR WHIMPER
NO KING HE
A LAMB MAYBE
QUIET IN HIS SLAUGHTER
BUT NO KING-

HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
PAINTED ON A CLIFF-

HOW RIDICULOUS A DEATH
DYING ON A HILLSIDE
LIKE A NAME
CARVED ON A TREE BY LOVERS
AND IN THIS NAME
THE NAME OF JESUS
WE ARE EMBARRASSED
WHY?

PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE
WE THINK
THAT WE ARE UNLOVABLE

WE DO NOT DOUBT
THAT GOD CAN SAVE US
BUT WE DO DOUBT
THAT SOMEONE COULD LOVE US
SO MUCH
AS TO DIE FOR US



TO DIE FOR US
NOT FOOLISHLY
BUT FULLY KNOWING
OUR UNWORTHINESS
AND STILL WANTING TO SAVE US

I SUSPECT
THAT THE REAL REASON
WHY THE NAME
JESUS
MAY EMBARRASS US
WHEN IT STANDS NAKED BY ITSELF

IS THAT IT PUTS US
ON A FIRST NAME BASIS

IT REMINDS US
OF OUR OWN NEED FOR SALVATION
OUR OWN NAKEDNESS
OUR OWN NAMES

FOR JESUS HAS COME
TO SAVE D-GUY
SAVE JJ AND PAULA
SAVE THERESA
SAVE MARY
SAVE KAREN AND PETER
SAVE MARCIA
SAVE ALL OF US-

NOT FOR OUR JOBS
NOT FOR OUR TITLES
NOT FOR OUR TITHING
NOT BECAUSE WE ARE RETIRED
OR WORKING
MARRIED
SINGLE OR DIVORCED
NOT FOR ANY REASON
EXCEPT HE LOVES US
HE MADE US
WE ARE THE WORK OF HIS HANDS
AND GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK



HE LOVES US
END OF SENTENCE
HE LOVES
US



THE MESSAGE ON THE CLIFFSIDE
CALLS US BY NAME
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­CALLS ALL OF US BY NAME
IT SAYS
UNCOVER YOUR EYES
OPEN YOUR EARS


I BRING TRUTH AND HOPE
FOR ALL THE NEEDING-TO-BE FILLED
PLACES IN YOUR LIVES

BE LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
AND KNOW THE PAIN OF SURRENDER

THE PAIN OF KNOWING
THE HELPLESSNESS
OF TRYING TO HELP YOURSELF

CALL ON ME
CALL ON ME
LIKE THE GOOD THIEF
CALL ON ME
SAYING
JESUS REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER ME
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU'

JESUS SAYS I WILL
AND WHETHER IT SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS
IN OUR JUDGMENT
OR EMBARRASSING
THE SAME GOD
THAT SAVED THIEVES
HANGING JUSTLY ON THE CROSS
ALSO SAVES CLOWNS LIKE YOU
AND ME
NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON
THAN THAT HE LOVES US



SO WHEN
THE PHARISEES SAY TO HIM
LEAVE NOW
BEFORE THEY KILL YOU


HE REPLIES
I WILL STAY FAITHFUL
TO MY TASK
TODAY
TOMORROW
AND THE DAY AFTER
WHICH MEANS
ALWAYS

FURTHER
JESUS SAYS
COME TO MY SHOP
WHERE THERE IS A SIGN
THAT SAYS
JESUS
CARPENTER
MAKER OF EASY YOKES
WE MAKE YOUR BURDEN LIGHT
COME IN
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
LET ME PROVE IT

AND AS WE ENTER

WE CATCH OUR IMAGE
IN THE WINDOW
OF HIS SHOP
AND WE ALSO SEE
THE REFLECTION OF THE CLIFF
WITH THE SIGN
JESUS SAVES
AND WE KNOW THE MESSAGE
IS PERSONAL AND FOR US

AMEN

Let Down Your Hair

LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
MARY
LET DOWN YOUR HAIR

TOO LONG
HAVE MEN SHACKLED YOU
AND HIDDEN YOUR BEAUTY

LET DOWN YOUR HAIR

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MESSAGE
THAT WHAT GOD CREATES
IS GOOD

LET DOWN YOUR HAIR

THE TOMB OF LAZARUS WAS OPEN
AND AIRING
THE STONE ROLLED AWAY

THE STENCH OF DEATH
WAS MASKED BY SPICES

BUT THE PARTY
WAS IN THE HOUSE
CELEBRATING LAZARUS RETURN

BUT MARY FELT A SADNESS
A PREMONITION REALLY
SOMETHING
WOMEN CAN DO
SHE SENSED DEATH IN THE AIR

AND MOVED BY SOME ETERNAL
FEMININE FORCE
TOOK NARD
A FUNERAL SPICE

WASHED HIS FEET FIRST
WITH TEARS
DRIED THEM
WITH HER LOOSENED HAIR
AND ANOINTED HIM FOR DEATH

SO MUCH WASTE THE ENRONS CRIED
AND GRASPED THE MONEY BAG


BUT JESUS SAID
PROTECTING MARY
THE POOR
WILL ALWAYS BE HERE
BUT YOU ONLY BURY ME ONCE.

First Lent

LAST WEDNESDAY
I
AND MANY OTHER CHRISTIANS
HAD ASHES
IN THE FORM OF A CROSS
PLACED ON OUR FOREHEAD
AS THE ASHES WERE BEING PLACED
THE MINISTER SAID THESE WORDS
REMEMBER
THAT YOU ARE DUST
AND BACK TO DUST
YOU SHALL RETURN

WE WERE PERFORMING A RITUAL
AS OLD
AS THE OLD TESTAMENT
WHENEVER
THERE WERE MOMENTS
OF GREAT SORROW
OR REPENTANCE FOR SIN
ASHES WERE PLACED
ON THE HEAD OF THE ONE
SEEKING FORGIVENESS

AS CHRISTIANS
WE HAVE STARTED LENT
WITH THIS GESTURE
A GESTURE
THE CHURCH USES
TO HELP US RECALL
WHO WE ARE
AND WHAT PRICE JESUS PAID
TO REDEEM US
WE ARE DUST
BUT PRECIOUS DUST

AS THE POET WROTE
AFTER SEEING THE WIND
SPIN DUST IN A CIRCLE

DOES THE WIND KNOW
THE VALUE OF THE DUST
IT WHIRLS INTO A COLUMN
IS IT TRYING TO MAKE A MAN
IF IT SUCCEEDED
WOULD IT BLOW ITS CREATION AWAY
ON A WHIM
WOULD IT LOVE ITS CREATION
WOULD IT DIE FOR HIM
WOULD IT HOVER OVER HIM
LIKE A MOTHER HEN
FUSSING FORGIVING
TIME AND AGAIN
FOLDING HIM TO HER BOSOM
OR WOULD IT
AS SO MANY GODS BUT ONE
FADE FALTER
AND GO AWAY

THE GOD WHO CALLS US
TO REPENTANCE
AND TO SORROW FOR OUR SINS
WILL NOT FORGET US
HE HAS PAID TOO HIGH A PRICE
FOR US
NOR IS HE INTERESTED
IN OUR CONDEMNATION
BUT IN OUR SALVATION

HE LOVES US SO MUCH
HE BECAME HUMAN.
THAT HE MIGHT EXPERIENCE
ALL THAT IT TAKES
TO BE HUMAN
AND PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE
IS FAILURE
OF NOT MEASURING UP TO THE MARK
OF MISSING THE MARK
AS THE ARCHER
MISSES THE MARK
WITH HIS ARROW

THE WORD FOR SIN IN THE BIBLE
MEANS MISSING THE MARK

SO JESUS LIKE US
WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL
WAS TESTED BY THE DEVIL
AND HE PASSED.

HOLD ON TO THIS THOUGHT
JESUS BEAT THE DEVIL
BY USING THE BIBLE
WHEN THE DEVIL SAID
TO THE HUNGRY JESUS
MAKE BREAD OUT OF STONE
JESUS REPLIED
MAN DOES NOT LIVE
BY BREAD ALONE

WHEN THE DEVIL
OFFERED JESUS
UNLIMITED POWER
JESUS SAID
THE ONLY POWER IS GOD.

AND WHEN SATAN
SAID TO JESUS
MAKE MAGIC
JESUS REPLIED
THOSE WHO LOVE GOD
DO NOT NEED MAGIC.
ALL THESE ANSWERS
THAT JESUS GAVE SATAN
ARE FOUND IN THE SCRIPTURES

THE LAST LINE
OF OUR GOSPEL READING TODAY
SAYS
THAT WHEN THE DEVIL
HAD FINISHED
ALL HIS TEMPTING
ALL HIS TESTING OF JESUS
HE LEFT HIM
TILL THERE WOULD BE
A MORE OPPORTUNE TIME

AND TO THIS DAY
THE DEVIL GOES AROUND
LIKE A ROARING LION
SEEKING SOMEONE TO DEVOUR

PUTTING CHRIST TO THE TEST
IN THE FORM OF US
FOR WE ARE CHRIST
IN THE WORLD TODAY

TO US
IS GIVEN THE TASK
TO BE CHRIST-LIKE
IN THE WORLD
IN WHICH WE LIVE.

AND THAT'S
THE PURPOSE OF LENT
TO HELP US REMEMBER
WHY WE ARE HERE,
WHY AND HOW
WE WERE SAVED
WHY AND HOW
THE DUST
THAT THE WIND PLAYS WITH
IS SO PRECIOUS
AND TO DENY SATAN
HIS OPPORTUNE TIME
BY DOING
AND GIVING BACK TO GOD
OUR BEST

THIS GIVING OF THE BEST
IS WHAT IS CALLED FOR
IN OUR FIRST READING
FROM DEUTERONOMY
WHERE MOSES SAYS

GIVE GOD THE BEST
THE FRESHEST YIELD
FROM YOUR GARDEN

DO THIS
BECAUSE HE HAS RESCUED YOU
FROM SLAVERY
AND GIVEN YOU A NEW HOME

THAT IS WHY
WE ARE ASKED
AS PART OF LENT
TO GIVE GOD OUR BEST
BECAUSE HE HAS RESCUED US
FROM SLAVERY
AND GIVEN US
A NEW HOME- HEAVEN

WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR
WITH THE LENTEN CONCEPT
OF GIVING THINGS UP
LIKE CANDY, ICE CREAM, MOVIES
BUT I SUGGEST
WE DO
WHAT WE NORMALLY DO
BUT TRY TO DO IT BETTER.

SO WHATEVER
IS A SORE SPOT IN YOUR LIFE,
WHATEVER IN YOUR LIFE
DOES NOT LOOK LIKE
CHRIST IN ACTION
WHATEVER IS NOT YOUR BEST
IN WHATEVER WAY
YOU ARE MISSING THE MARK
STOP
PRAY
AND RE-AIM YOUR ARROW.

SUGGESTIONS
HUSBAND AND WIVES
REDUCE FRICTION.
CHILDREN DO YOUR SCHOOL WORK
AND CHORES WILLINGLY
OR LEAST WITHOUT GRUMBLING
ALL OF US EAT
WHAT WE'RE SERVED
WITHOUT GRUMBLING
ALL OF US
TURN OFF THE TELEVISION
AND TALK TO EACH OTHER.
ALL OF US MAKE TIME
FOR REGULAR PRAYER
ALL OF US
READ A CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE DAILY.

REMEMBER JESUS BESTED SATAN
WITH ANSWERS FROM THE BIBLE

IN ALL THINGS
BE GENTLE WITH EACH OTHER
AND WITH YOURSELVES
WE ARE PRECIOUS DUST
REDEEMED BY CHRIST
BECAUSE GOD LOVES HIS CREATION
AND WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR US.
WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU,
WHAT IS BEST FOR ME

FINALLY
THESE FORTY DAYS OF LENT
REPRESENT
THE LAST DAYS AND WEEKS
OF LIFE OF JESUS
WHEN THE FORCES OF DARKNESS
WERE TRYING
TO FIRST SILENCE HIM
AND WHEN THAT FAILED
TO KILL HIM

THE CLOUDS ARE GATHERING
AROUND JESUS
AS THE ENEMY CIRCLES

MANY ARE LEAVING JESUS.
IT IS A LONELY TIME.

HE ASKS US
COULD YOU NOT
WALK
THESE LAST FEW DAYS
WITH ME
COULD YOU NOT
FOR THESE LAST FEW DAYS
THESE FORTY DAYS
GIVE ME YOUR BEST
NOT FOR PROFIT
NOT FOR GAIN
NOT FOR MERIT
BUT BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME

CAN WE SAY YES TO HIS PLEA

Walter Reed

WHEN OLD MEN
SEND YOUNG MEN
OFF TO WAR

THEY SHOULDN'T CROW
LIKE ROOSTERS
AT THE VICTORY
AS IF THEY
HAD
PARTICIPATED

THEY PIOUSLY PRATE
FAMILY VALUES
AND SEPARATE FAMILIES

FOLLOWING BAD LEADERS
IS NOT PATRIOTISM

THE DEAD THEY HONOR
THE WOUNDED
THEY HIDE
IN SQUALOR

THEY WERE SENT TO FIGHT
WITHOUT PREPARATION
FOR EITHER WAR
OR WOUNDED

OLD MEN
SHOULD LEAD THE CHARGE
TO SEE IF THEIR WORDS
RING TRUE

AND YOUNG MEN
SHOULD LIVE
TO BE GRANDPARENTS
AND SPOIL THEIR GRANDCHILDREN
AS THEIR DUE