Studying Religious Texts (Job 29 (Micah 6:8)

I GROW WEARY
STUDYING RELIGIOUS TEXTS

STUDYING THE MINUTE DIFFERENCES
IN RELIGIOUS SECTS

AND WONDER
WHAT DOES IT MATTER
HOW MANY ANGELS
ARE ON THE HEAD OF A PIN

DOES IT MATTER
IF IT’S THE SHARP END

IT SEEMS SO MUCH
LIGHTNING
AND THUNDER
WHEN WE REALLY NEED
LIFE GIVING RAIN

I AM REMINDED
OF WHAT
MICAH SAID

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
And to walk humbly with your God.

OR JOB
WHEN HE SAID
I rescued the poor who cried for help

The fatherless who had none to assist him.
The man who was dying blessed me;

I made the widow's heart sing.
I put on righteousness as my clothing;

Justice was my robe and my turban.
I was eyes to the blind

And feet to the lame.
I was a father to the needy;

I took up the case of the stranger.
I broke the fangs of the wicked

And snatched the victims from their teeth.

SOMEHOW
I THINK
THAT ALL THE TENETS
OF RELIGION
ARE MEANINGLESS
UNLESS THEY’RE BACKED UP
WITH ACTION

KNOWLEDGE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
MEAN NOTHING
UNLESS I TRY
TO LIVE UP TO THEM

IF I AM REQUIRED
TO HONOR GOD
I DO IT BY HONORING CREATION


FRANK A VOLLMER

Rage

Why do the nations
Run like wild horses
Trampling the grass
Whinnying and neighing

A ruckus
Proud to be free

To be free

A better translation perhaps
For psalm two

The root word in Hebrew
For rage
Means
The snorting of horses

But what use is a horse
That runs free
To beat down the vineyard
And wheat field

To answer to no master
To be free

Of what use is the horse

In acts
After the wondrous events
Of the ascension
The election of Matthias
Pentecost
And Peter’s sermon
The church set out
To make society better

The poor were fed
The sick were consoled
The widow was befriended
The work was done with a happy face
No gloomy Christians there

They were useful

They had accepted
The bridle of Christ
They were useful

The nations may rage
As wild horses will
But eventually
They will be broken
God’s will
Will be done
And the horse will come
At its masters call


Frank a Vollmer

Easter in a Warmer Clime

I’M USED TO EASTER IN A COLD CLIMATE
WHERE SNOW
OR THREATS OF SNOW
ARE IMMINENT

WHERE THE LAKE IF NOT FROZEN
IS BROKEN INTO ICY SLUDGE
THAT SOUNDS LIKE BELLS
AS IT BEATS AGAINST THE SHORE

AND GREENERY
IF IT HAS VENTURED FORTH
IS OFTEN BURNED BY FROST

BUT EASTER
HERE IN THE SOUTH
IS VIBRANT AND ALIVE
EVERYTHING IS IN BLOOM




IF WEATHER
SHOULD MIRROR THE MOOD
WOULD NOT GOOD FRIDAY
BE BETTER CELEBRATED
IN WINTER
WHEN THE COLDNESS
OF OUR HEARTS
FORCED HIM TO DIE

WHEN THE BLOOD HE SHED
WAS LIKE ICICLES DRIPPING

BUT WE CELEBRATE EASTER
WITH AN EXUBERANCE
I THINK HE WOULD HAVE FOUND
EMBARRASSING

IN EARLY MORNING
BEFORE THE BIRDS SANG
THE STONE ROLLED AWAY
AND HE WAS GONE

AND LIKE A SEED
THAT HAD LAIN
UNDER THE SNOW
BLOSSOMED
AND THE HARVEST WAS BEGUN


FRANK A VOLLMER

Things

There are birds
Eating seeds
From my feeder

There are birds
Nesting
IN my trees

The birds are singing
Lauds
Or vespers
And other hours in between

As I sit in my lawn chair
Pleased with myself
And all I see

My piece of ground
My home

Lord of all I own
Or a vassal

Servant really
Given talents to invest

Given things
Not just to have
But to share

To give my song
As freely as the birds

To chant my thanks
For all he has done
For me

And be ready to fly home
When called
Unencumbered by things


Frank a Vollmer

PREPARE TO EVACUATE
PREPARE TO EVACUATE
THIS FOLLOWED A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
AND A POLICE CAR ON THE STREET
ITS LOUDSPEAKER BELLOWING
PREPARE TO EVACUATE

NEVER OUR BEST
AT FOUR IN THE MORNING
WE HASTILY DRESSED
PACKED A CHANGE OF CLOTHES
CAGED THE CAT
GATHERED WHAT WE THOUGHT
WERE IMPORTANT PAPERS

WE THOUGHT
WE’LL GO OUTSIDE THE FIRE AREA
AND HAVE BREAKFAST
SEE WHAT DEVELOPS

THE WIND CHANGED
THE THREAT WAS LIFTED
WE CAME BACK

WE WERE WARNED TO BE ALERT
THE WIND COULD CHANGE AGAIN

I WONDERED
ABOUT WHAT WE TOOK WITH US
EACH OTHER CERTAINLY
CHANGE OF CLOTHES
PRACTICALITY
THE CAT
EMOTIONALLY
PAPERS
WE THOUGHT
WERE NECESSARY
A COUNT ON ONE HAND
LIST OF THINGS
LIFE REDUCED TO A HANDFUL





A LESSON
WE SHOULD REMEMBER
AFTER THE FIRE HAS COOLED
AND WE START COLLECTING
THINGS AGAIN



FRANK A VOLLMER

The Shepherd (Psalm 23)

THE SHEPHERD LOOKED AT THE STARS
SO CLEAR IN THE AIR
SO BRIGHT IN THE NIGHT
HE LOST HIMSELF
IN THE WONDER OF A GOD
WHO COULD CREATE A UNIVERSE
SO GREAT
I WONDER IF HE TENDS IT
LIKE I DO MY SHEEP
DOES HE FUSS WHEN THEY ARE SICK
CRY WHEN THEY DIE
BE ANGRY WHEN THEY ARE LOST
HAPPY WHEN THEY ARE FOUND
THE SHEPHERD SAT
AND WATCHED THE STARS
CONTENT
KNOWING THAT GOD
WAS SHEPHERDING HIM

FRANK A VOLLMER

The Vine (John 15)

IN GENESIS
GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION
THAT IS OWNERSHIP
OVER THE EARTH

WE ALL KNOW THE SAD STORY
OF OUR DOMINION SHIP

OUR OWNERSHIP

THE BAD MANAGEMENT
CAUSED GOD TO LEAP FROM HEAVEN
TO DIE AND REDEEM US

WE WOULD THINK
THAT AFTER THAT
HE WOULD SAY
AFTER PAYING
SUCH A PRICE

I TAKE BACK
MY DOMINION SHIP
I TAKE BACK
MY OWNERSHIP

FROM NOW ON
YOU WILL BE MY SLAVES

IF HE DID THAT
IT WOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE

IT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO
IF WE WERE GOD

BUT GOD SAYS
I DO NOT CALL YOU SERVANTS
BUT FRIENDS

AND THE ONLY CHAINS
I GIVE YOU

IS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

FOR YOU ARE ALL LINKED
ROOTS
STEMS
LEAVES
AND FRUIT
YET ONE VINE



WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN DOMINION
OVER THE WORLD
TO MAKE IT BETTER
THAN IT IS

WE ARE CALLED CHRISTIANS

FOLLOWING JESUS' WORDS
AND EXAMPLE

WE WOULD BE BETTER NAMED
LOVERS

MAY IT BE SO
AMEN


FRANK A VOLLMER