Old Woman

In the Eastern Church, the death of Mary, Jesus' mothers is traditionally celebrated on august 15. The feast is called the dormition or falling asleep of Mary.

OLD WOMAN

HOW WARM THE SUN SHE THOUGHT
NODDING NAPPING IN HER CHAIR
KNITTING UNATTENDED IN HER LAP
HOW WARM THE SUN

THE CHILDREN ALL HAD GONE
LAUGHING AND LEAPING
THE COOKIES ALL EATEN

BYE BYE AUNTIE
THEY ALL CALLED HER AUNTIE
AWAY THEY WENT LEAPING

EXCEPT ONE LITTLE URCHIN
WITH KNEE OUT IN TROUSER
AND NOSE ON SLEEVE WIPING
HAD LINGERED BEHIND
SHYLY
FOOT DRAGGING
HEAD DOWN
FACE BLUSHING
HE SLOWLY APPROACHED HER
AWKWARDLY KISSED HER
BELLOWED I LOVE YOU
SCURRIED AWAY

HEART ACHING SHE REACHED OUT
HER ARMS GRASPING NOTHING
SO QUICKLY HE RAN

OH JOSEPH OH JESUS HOW MUCH DO I MISS YOU
HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN GONE

THE OLD WOMAN SAT NODDING
HER HEART WOUNDS REOPENED
SAT NODDING
AND NAPPING
AND YEARNING FOR HOME
SAT NODDING THEN SLEEPING
THEN GOD CALLED HER HOME

FRANK A VOLLMER

On Closing a Ghetto Church

FATHER FORGIVE US FOR BEING POOR
FOR BEING GHETTO TRAPPED
BY BIRTH OR RACE OR AGE
OR FEAR OF COMPETITION
FOR WHICH WE ARE ILL PREPARED

FORGIVE US FOR OUR ANGER
FOR LASHING OUT
AT INNUMERABLE GNATS OF IRRITATION
THE ACID OF OUR DAILY LIVES

FORGIVE US FOR BELIEVING YOUR WORDS
THAT THE POOR
WOULD HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM

FORGIVE US FOR NOT MAKING MONEY
LIKE OTHER MISSIONS IN AFRICA
INDIA LATIN AMERICA
DO

FOR PENANCE
TAKE OUR CHURCH
AND WITH THE GAIN
ERECT A MONUMENT TO PRIDE
IN A MORE PROFITABLE PLACE

FATHER FORGIVE US FOR BEING POOR

Frank a. Vollmer

A Story

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY
LET ME SPIN A RHAPSODY
OF DISPARATE ELEMENTS
SOME TRUE
SOME FABLE
A STORY

TO ONE MAN
WHO WANTED TO FOLLOW HIM
HE SAID
I HAVE NO WHERE TO EVEN LAY MY HEAD

TO ANOTHER
WHO WANTED TO BURY HIS FATHER
HE SAID
LET THE DEAD
BURY THE DEAD

TO ANOTHER
WHO WANTED TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIS FATHER
HE SAID
ONE WHO FOLLOWS ME
NEVER LOOKS BACK

HARSH WORDS
I WONDER WHY

LET ME NOW SPIN A TALE

WHEN JOSEPH DIED
JESUS COULD NOT COME TO THE FUNERAL
BECAUSE HE WAS JUDGED
BY HIS FAMILY
TO BE A MEMZER
A BASTARD
AND BASTARDS
WERE NOT ALLOWED
TO ATTEND
FUNERALS

HE WAS CALLED MARY’S SON
NOT JOSEPH’S


IN HIS SACRIFICE FOR US
HE STRIPED HIMSELF POOR
LOWLY BIRTH
QUESTIONABLE PARENTAGE
SHUNNED BY HIS LARGER FAMILY
TOLERATED
BECAUSE
MARY WAS HIS MOTHER

HE COULDN'T IDENTIFY
WITH PEOPLE
AND FAMILY TIES
HE'D GIVEN UP HIS OWN

HE’D EVEN TRIED TO PUT DISTANCE
BETWEEN HIM AND HIS MOTHER
AND BROTHERS
SAYING
WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME IS MOTHER
AND BROTHER

BUT HIS MOTHER WOULDN'T GO AWAY
AND WAS FAITHFUL
TO THE END
WHEN HE TRIED ONCE AGAIN
UNSUCCESSFULLY
TO GIVE HER AWAY

MOTHER BEHOLD YOUR SON
SON BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER

HANGING ON THE CROSS
BEREFT OF ALL HE HELD DEAR
CRYING TO THE FATHER
OUT OF LONELINESS
WHY HAVE YOU LEFT ME

IN LIGHT OF ALL HE HAD GIVEN AWAY
HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
HOLDING BACK


FRANK A VOLLMER

Brooding

BROODING

AND THE SPIRIT BROODED OVER THE WATERS
LIKE A MOTHER HEN GIVING BIRTH TO A CHICK
SHE WOULD NOT LEAVE TILL IT WAS DONE
A SENTINEL
ALWAYS STANDING GUARD
THOSE WHO FEAR THE LAST COMING
WHO ANTICIPATE IT EVERY DAY
WHO QUAKE AT EVERY FALSE BUGLE CALL
DO LITTLE HONOR TO GOD
WHY WOULD ANYONE
LOVE A GOD
WHO HATES US
WHO DOES NOT REMEMBER
THE BROODING GOD
WHO WOULD SHELTER US
UNDER HIS WINGS

FRANK A VOLLMER

Ezekiel

EZEKIEL


Ezekiel 20:25-26

I GAVE THEM OVER TO WORTHLESS DECREES AND REGULATIONS THAT WOULD NOT LEAD TO LIFE. I LET THEM POLLUTE THEMSELVES WITH THE VERY GIFTS I HAD GIVEN THEM, AND I ALLOWED THEM TO GIVE THEIR FIRSTBORN CHILDREN AS OFFERINGS TO THEIR GODS—SO I MIGHT DEVASTATE THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT I ALONE AM THE LORD.




IF I READ EZEKIEL RIGHT
GOD GAVE MAN BAD LAWS
WHICH LED MEN TO SACRIFICE
THEIR FIRST CHILD

WHO SPOKE FOR THE CHILD

1 SAMUEL 15:3
NOW GO, ATTACK THE AMALEKITES AND TOTALLY DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT BELONGS TO THEM. DO NOT SPARE THEM; PUT TO DEATH MEN AND WOMEN, CHILDREN AND INFANTS, CATTLE AND SHEEP, CAMELS AND DONKEYS.

IF IT IS WRONG FOR NAZIS TO ERADICATE A RACE
WHY IS IT RIGHT FOR THE ISRAELITES

WHO SPOKE FOR THE AMALEKITES

GENESIS 22:2

THEN GOD SAID, "TAKE YOUR SON, YOUR ONLY SON, ISAAC,
WHOM YOU LOVE, AND GO TO THE REGION OF MORIAH.
SACRIFICE HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING
ON ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT."


SHOULD A FATHER EVER KILL HIS SON
WHEN THE SON IS JUSTIFIED

WHO SPOKE FOR ISAAC

GENESIS 4:5
BUT ON CAIN AND HIS OFFERING
HE DID NOT LOOK WITH FAVOR.
SO CAIN WAS VERY ANGRY,
AND HIS FACE WAS DOWNCAST


I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE CAIN
BUT HE GAVE OF SOME OF THE FRUITS OF THE FIELD
WHILE ABEL GAVE THE BEST OF THE FLOCK

I CHOOSE THREE
THERE MAY BE MORE

PERHAPS THESE WORDS WERE MEANT TO BE RESISTED
PERHAPS THEY WERE A TEST
NOT OF OBEDIENCE
BUT LIVING THE LAW

SHOULD ABRAHAM HAVE SAID
KILLING IS WRONG
SHOULD THE SOLDIERS HAVE SAID
KILLING IS WRONG
SHOULD THE FATHERS HAVE SAID
KILLING IS WRONG

ARE WE CALLED TO BE GOD’S CONSCIENCE

HOW ABOUT JOB’S CHILDREN
NOW I HAVE FOUR

WHO SPOKE FOR THEM

HEAVY THOUGHTS
FOR SOMEONE NEAR HEAVEN’S GATE

I DON'T THINK GOD WILL MIND
MY ASKING
WHY



FRANK A VOLLMER

The Devil Made Me Do It

CLEAVAGE


MY DOCTOR HAS CLEAVAGE
IT’S HARD NOT TO NOTICE
AS SHE CHECKS ME
FOR ERRANT LYMPH NODES
IN MY HEAD
NECK
AND ARMPITS

THE GOOD HOLY NUNS SAID
AVOID BAD THOUGHTS
I THOUGHT THEY WERE PRETTY GOOD MYSELF

I THINK SHE’S GETTING EVEN
I CHALLENGED HER
AT MARDI GRAS
THAT I WOULD FLASH
IF SHE WOULD
I HAD TO SETTLE FOR A STRING OF BEADS

SHE’S HIGHLY IRREVERENT
ESPECIALLY WITH ME
SHE DEMANDS A JOKE EVERY TIME I VISIT
OFTEN WE CLOSE THE DOOR

I DON’T THINK IT WAS AN APPLE IN THE GARDEN
BUT A BEAUTIFUL PEAR

FRANK A VOLLMER

Proverbs

I HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH PROVERBS
THEIR DESCRIPTION OF A GOOD WIFE
I LOOKS LIKE A LIST FOR HIRING HELP
I THINK IT SMACKS OF WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS
MY WIFE LOVES ME
AND I LOVE HER
AND FROM THAT FLOWS GOOD
LIKE GRACE FREELY GIVEN
LIKE DEEDS FREELY DONE
THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD
AS AGE WITHERS AND BEAUTY FADES
THERE STILL IS HEARD
THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE
AND I AM A BLESSED MAN


FRANK A VOLLMER

Jericho Traveler

WHEN HE STARTED OUT HE WASN'T POOR
OR HURT
OR MAIMED
OR SULLEN FACED
WITH A LAUGH AND A WHISTLE HE'D STARTED OUT
WITH A LAUGH AND A WHISTLE AND A HAPPY AIR
THEN WHAT HAPPENED ON THE JOURNEY
WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO THIS PLACE
WHAT BLEW THE CANDLE OUT
SO THAT HIS EYE REFLECTS THE SUN
BUT LETS NONE COME IN
WHO TOOK THE AIR HE BREATHED AND MADE IT FOUL
WHO MUFFLED SONG BIRDS EARLY SONG
WHO CRIED OUT "NIGGER" IN THE NIGHT
WHO CUT HIS BRAIN WITH MANY SCARS
WHO THEN COMPLAINED WHEN ANGER CAME
WHO LISTENED WHEN HIS CHILDREN CRIED
RAT BITTEN IN A COCKROACH BED
WHO CARED WHEN THOSE SAME CHILDREN DIED
LAID TO REST IN SEGREGATED BED
WHO TOOK THE BRIGHT PROMISE OF HIS FACE
AND CHISELED OF HIS SMILE
WHO TOOK THE LAUGHTER FROM HIS LIPS
AND CANDLE FROM HIS EYE
WHO PRAYED FOR HIM WHEN HE BEGGED FOR BREAD
WHO GAVE HIM BREAD WHEN HE WANTED LOVE
WHO STOPPED LOVING HIM WHEN HE MISBEHAVED
WHO TAUGHT HIM VIOLENCE AND WAR
WHO CRIED WITH HIM WHEN LONELINESS
CAME CREEPING IN LIKE EVENING FOG
WHO DUG THOSE FURROWS IN HIS BROW
WHO CARVED THOSE LINES OF LONELINESS
WHO TAUGHT HIM BITTERNESS AND HATE
AND THAT BROTHERHOOD'S A LIE

WHO.. WHO...
OH HELL... WHO GIVES A DAMN

FRANK A VOLLMER

Night Scene

IN COME THE WAVES
SPILLING AND FURLING
LIKE YOUNG GIRLS KNEELING
THROWING THEIR HAIR
SEA FROTH MOVING
TO WHIMS OF THE WIND
LITTLE BIRDS
HOVERING
NEAR THE EDGE
OF THE SEA
IN A RAUCOUS VOICE
THE SEAGULL
SERENADES THE MOON
AND DARK THINGS
ROAM IN THE NIGHT

FRANK A VOLLMER

Sad Song

I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG
PERHAPS A WHISTLE BY THE GRAVEYARD SONG
A DEFIANT IN YOUR FACE SONG
A FRIGHTENED SONG
I HOPE NOT A DUMB SONG
CLOUDED BY PAIN
MEDICINE
OR MIND
BUT I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG

I’VE BEEN SICK AGAIN
LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
IT CAUGHT ME UNAWARES

BUT I WILL NOT SING A SAD SONG

MY LITTLE MALADY
COMPARED TO THE WORLD’S PAIN

I DO NOT FIND THAT SUFFERING IS ENNOBLING

SO MUCH OF IT IS UNDESERVED

I DO NOT THINK THAT GOD SENDS PAIN
SO MUCH IS HUMAN CAUSED

GOD ASKS US TO BRING HIS KINGDOM HERE
A POETIC GESTURE
OR DID HE MEAN IT

AND IF HE MEANT IT
ARE WE NOT TASKED TO ELIMINATE PAIN

AT TREBLINKA
THEY USED GEESE
TO MASK THE SOUND OF SUFFERING

HAVE WE GONE MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT
TO MAKE THE WORLD
THE WAY GOD WANTS IT

FRANK A VOLLMER

Pie Jesu

PIE JESU
PIE JESU
GRANT THEM REST LORD
GENTLE JESUS
GRANT THEM REST LORD
UNDISTURBED
PIE JESU
GENTLE JESUS

GRANT REST TO CHILDREN
DEAD BEFORE THEY WERE BORN
TO VICTIMS OF WAR
TO VICTIMS OF HATE
TO VICTIMS OF PROFIT
AT ANY COST
GRANT THEM REST
GENTLE JESUS
GRANT THEM REST

GRANT THEM REST
AND PROMINENCE
WHO OFTEN WERE IGNORED IN LIFE
OR WORSE INVISIBLE


OH SWEET JESUS
WHO TAKES AWAY
THE SINS OF THE WORLD
TAKE AWAY THE EFFECTS OF SIN
AS IT AFFECTS THEM

GRANT THEM REST
LORD JESUS
WHOSE LIFE
WAS A DISCORDANT SONG
GRANT THEM REST
GRANT THEM PEACE
FOREVERMORE

FRANK A VOLLMER

Infinity

THE SYMBOL FOR INFINITY
IS A FIGURE EIGHT
LAID ON IT SIDE
IT’S CALLED
A LEMNISCATE
A RIBBON

ANOTHER SYMBOL IS A SNAKE
SWALLOWING ITS TAIL
IT’S CALLED
AN UROBORUS
A CIRCLE

THEN GOD SAID BEGIN

WHERE ON THE CIRCLE
THE RIBBON
CAN YOU SAY THE SPOT

MAYBE GOD DIDN'T SPEAK IT
PERHAPS HE THOUGHT IT
Or BLINKED
OR SCRATCHED HIS HEAD
I WASN'T THERE

BUT I WAS AT MY OWN CONCEPTION
WHEN HE SAID BEGIN
AND MY UNIVERSE EXPLODED



WHEN I CONSIDER THE HEAVENS, THE WORK OF YOUR FINGERS
THE MOON AND THE STARS, WHICH YOU HAVE SET IN PLACE

WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU CARE FOR HIM

THE UNIVERSE IS STILL EXPANDING

SOMEDAY GRAVITY WILL TAKE OVER
IT WILL ALL COLLAPSE
AND BE DONE

TIME WILL HAVE ENDED

A MERE BLIP ON THE RIBBON

AND ALL OF US
WILL HAVE BEEN GATHERED
INTO GOD’S BOSOM

AND INFINITI
WILL ROLL ON
FOREVER

FRANK A VOLLMER