Loves and Fishes

WHAT IS SO LITTLE
JUDGED AGAINST SO MANY
SIX MONTH'S WAGES
AND A DAY'S WALK
WOULD ONLY GIVE EACH A LITTLE
SEND THEM AWAY

LAUGHING AT HIS INNOCENCE
ANDREW SAID
THERE IS A BOY HERE
WITH FIVE LOAVES
TWO FISHES TOO
WHAT SHALL WE DO

MAKE THE PEOPLE SIT DOWN
AND TAKING LITTLE
HE MADE MUCH
HE MADE MUCH TO OVERFLOWING

YOU FEED THEM ALL WITH A GENEROUS HAND
THE PSALMIST SINGS
SO SHALL THE LACK
THE LITTLE THAT IS ME
BE MADE TO FILL
THE THINGS ORDAINED
BY YOU
FOR ME TO DO

FRANK A VOLLMER

Sodom

Ezekiel 16:49
Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness,

while the poor and needy suffered outside her door


SODOM

SOMEWHERE ON THE ROAD TO SODOM
THERE’S A SIGN
TELLING THE WHY OF SODOM’S RUIN

Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness,

while the poor and needy suffered outside her door

ARE WE NOT IN THE SAME POSITION
WHILE CHILDREN STARVE
WE ARGUE ABOUT SEXUAL PROCLIVITY

WHILE INDUSTRY
DEFRAUDS WORKERS
OF PAY AND PENSION
WE PIOUSLY PRATE
THAT MAN IS CREATED
IN GOD’S IMAGE

PREACHING CHRISTIANITY
WE VOTE FOR WAR
AND GLOAT AT VICTORY

SHOULD WE NOT KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY
LEST ANOTHER RUIN AWAIT US

FRANK A VOLLMER

Crucifixion

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE
THE TRUTH BE TOLD
HE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG
NAKED HUNG
AGAINST THE NOON DAY SKY

LIKE CARRION THEY CAME
TO SIT UPON THE LAWN AND WATCH
HOW SUCH A MAN WOULD DIE

NO MAN WHO HAS EVER CALLED ANOTHER…FRIEND
OR HELD A LOVER'S HAND
OR FELT THE PULL OF FALLING STAR
OR HEARD A ROBIN SING
NO MAN WHO HAS EVER BEEN IN LOVE
OR BOUNCED A BABY ON HIS KNEE
REALLY WANTS TO DIE

BUT THERE HE HUNG
NAKED HUNG
AGAINST A DARKENING SKY

HIS NEED FOR LOVE SO GREAT HE CRIED
I THIRST
THEY WONDERED WHY

AS HE HUNG
NAKED HUNG
AGAINST A NIGHT BLACK SKY

THE CARRION JUST STOOD AROUND
WAITING FOR HIM TO DIE
HE FELT THE COLDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS
AND CRIED TO HIS FATHER … WHY
ALL HIS PENT UP PASSION SURGING
HE CRIED TO HIS FATHER …WHY

AS HE HUNG
NAKED HUNG
FOR LOVE OF YOU AND I

Frank A Vollmer

The Widows

THEY WERE CONTENT
IN A SAD SORT OF A WAY

THEY’D GUIDED THEIR HUSBANDS
SAFELY THROUGH THE SHOALS OF DEATH
AND BEYOND

THEY REMEMBERED THE SILLY LITTLE THINGS
LIKE
FIGHTING FOR BLANKETS
SNORING
SOCKS ON THE FLOOR

THEY WISHED THEY COULD COMPLAIN AGAIN

THE BED IS TOO LARGE

HE’S KEEP ALIVE IN THE MEMORIES OF CHILDREN
THEIR POP-POP OR POPPY
GRAMPY OR GRUMPY
THEIR BEST BUD

MOST DAYS LIFE GOES ON
BUT SOMETIMES
THEY’D LIKE TO SHARE A JOKE
AND THERE IS NO ONE TO HEAR


FRANK A VOLLMER

When Jesus Said

WHEN JESUS SAID
YOU HAVE THE POOR
ALWAYS WITH YOU
HE DIDN'T MEAN IT AS AN EXCUSE
TO DO NOTHING

BUT RATHER A REASON
FOR HIS DEATH

RATHER TO DESCRIBE
A THORN
IN THE BODY MYSTIC

THE POOR YOU HAVE ALWAYS WITH YOU
A SAD COMMENT ON HIS DEATH
THIS IS NOT THE WORLD GOD WANTS

YOUR KINGDOM COME
YOUR WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

ARE WE DOING GOD’S WILL

ARE WE SAYING
GOD’S WILL IS IMPOSSIBLE
ARE WE SAYING
GOD HAS GIVEN US
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK
AN IMPOSSIBLE PRAYER

THE LAST WORDS CHRIST HEARD
HANGING ON THE CROSS
WERE DREAMER
OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY

WERE THEY TRUE

The "C" Word

WHEN PILATE
FIRST SAID THE C WORD
TO YOU JESUS

DID YOU STEP BACK
BLINK
PRAY FOR COURAGE
DID THE WORLD GO AWAY FOR AN INSTANT

SAYING YES LORD JESUS
ENDEARS YOU TO MY HEART

IN OUR MUTUAL PASSIONS
I FIND MUCH THAT IS SIMILAR

STRUGGLING UP YOUR HILL
YOU FELL OFTEN

STRUGGLING UP MY HILL
I FIND MANY WEAK TIMES

YOU HAD SIMON
I HAVE THE DOCTOR

YOU HAD THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
I HAVE THE NURSES
WHO HAVE PUT AWAY THEIR WAILING RAGS
AND BECOME TRUE PROFESSIONALS

A TRIBUTE TO YOU
WHO RAISED THE STATUS OF WOMEN
BY BEING BORN

AND THEREBY SAYING
THAT ALL CREATION IS BEAUTIFUL
AND THEREFORE EQUAL

AND ON THE HILLTOP
YOU DESTROYED THE CANCER OF…
THERE I'VE SAID THE WORD
YOU DESTROYED THE CANCER OF MY SIN
YOU SET ME FREE
TO LIVE A HOLY AND A WHOLLY LIFE

AND ON MY HILLTOP
LET ME SAY WITH YOU
FATHER IT IS FINISHED
CURED OR AT LEAST IN REMISSION

AND WE SHALL WALK
OUR EASTER MORNINGS
SIDE BY SIDE

FRIENDS AS ALWAYS
WE HAVE WALKED
THROUGH THE DARK PORTAL
AND FOUND SUN SHINE


BUT FIRST
WHEN PILATE SAID THE C WORD TO YOU JESUS
DID YOU STEP BACK
BLINK
PRAY FOR COURAGE
DID THE WORLD GO AWAY FOR AN INSTANT

SAYING YES LORD JESUS
ENDEARS YOU TO MY HEART
BECAUSE SO DID I


FRANK A VOLLMER

Black Pheasant

WE WERE SURPRISED WHEN WE FOUND IT
THE CARBONIZED REMAINS OF THE PHEASANT
THE FIRE HAD BEEN INTENSE
BUT SHORT LIVED
CREATED BY THE STORM
EXTINGUISHED BY THE STORM
BUT THE INTERIM HAD BEEN EXTREME
FED BY THE DEBRIS OF THE DROUGHT

SO REAL
IT LOOK LIFELIKE
EXCEPT FOR THE COLOR
IT LOOKED ASLEEP

BUT WHEN WE KNELT TO TOUCH IT
IT FELL APART
AND FOUR CHICKS
RAN OUT FROM UNDER

PERHAPS
BECAUSE
WE HAD SEEN ENOUGH OF DEATH THAT DAY
WE WERE MOVED TO TEARS

SHE COULD HAVE FLOWN
SHE COULD HAVE SAVED HERSELF
SHE STAYED
GATHERED HER BROOD
UNDER HER WINGS
AND BROUGHT THEM THROUGH THE FIRE

WE GATHERED THE CHICKS
THEY WOULD SURVIVE

REST WELL MOTHER

YOU HAVE TAUGHT US
WELL

FRANK A VOLLMER