Saturday, August 22, 2015

i am stuck


i am stuck somewhere
between
beauty
and
asceticism

i am stuck somewhere
between
grace
and
karma

i am stuck somewhere
between
this world
and
the next

i am stuck somewhere
between
your eyes
and
the open sky

i am stuck

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Follow

So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?"

The truth of God is hard
It ruptures our little bubbles

It overturns our systems of sin
It breaks in on our party

“The system is just fine, Jesus!
Let us sleep!
After all the day has just begun.
We've plenty of time!”

But Jesus knows
He knows we're comfortable

He knows we're numb 
From a crazy world

And still he calls,
“Will you trust?
Will you follow?

Or

“Do you also wish
To go away?”

Friday, July 31, 2015

Poetry

It's hard for me to understand
People who don't
Understand poetry

I think it's because
They live on Mars and
I live on Venus 

I think it's because
Equations are important to them
And facts
And figures
And sales reports
And surveys 

You see
For me, there are  not 
Facts or figures
There are  sunrises
And orange
And red
And a million shades
Of white and gray

For me, there is mystery and Grace
Not measurements and temperatures
How do you measure a kiss?
How do you quantify a dance?
How do you test a full moon?

It's hard for me to understand
People who don't 
Understand poetry

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Love

“This is my commandment, that you love one another.”

So many rules
So many laws
So many directions
So much software
And apps
And programs
And forms to fill out

And Jesus made it so simple
Love.

Some days I forget 
That it's all about love
Some days
I'm satisfied
Just keeping the rules
Filling out the forms
Sticking with the program

And suddenly
My eyes open
And I see an opportunity 
To love, I mean to really love
To go the extra mile 

Lord help me!
I know there's rules to keep
But help me make loving others 
Number one on my agenda
Help me see the opportunities 
I have today to truly
Love.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Silence


Every word I speak
is an adulteration of
Silence

Every line of poetry
I write
is a tainting of
Silence

Like an artist
obliterates a sunset on the canvass

Like a singer
fractures the peace with her voice

Like an electric guitarist
pierces Tranquility with his notes

Silence is the most beautiful
work of art
in the Universe

Silence is what the poet
is aiming for

Silence is the goal of the artist,
using the full palate
and all the brush strokes
to lead one to silent reverence

Silence is the goal of the singer,
to sing a song that
creates so much tension that
one relishes the silence

Silence is the goal of the guitarist,
creating such ear-piercing noise
that the silence becomes more
of a gift than it was before

Silence is the goal of the preacher,
to exhaust the words
of the Text
and then leave all in the gift of
Silence

To contemplate the mysteries
of God

Thursday, April 2, 2015

ready or not, here i come!

and the Holy Drama begins
am i ready?
no, of course not
was peter ready . . . nah
was john ready . . . nah
was judas ready . . . nope

it seems i’m never ready
for the high, holy days
but then, is anyone?

isn’t that the whole point?
that we’re not ready?
that Jesus IS
OUR READINESS
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE HOLY SACRIFICE
THE SPOTLESS LAMB
THE GATE
THE WAY
THE TRUTH
THE LIFE

raise the curtain
and let the
Holy Drama
begin . . .

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

We wish to see Jesus

"We wish to see Jesus"
Said the Greeks
Strange that a Greek 
Would want to see Jesus
With their philosophy
And collection of gods
With their rationalism
And mathematics 

What were they hoping to see?
What were they lacking
In their world,
In their souls
That made them want to see
This humble carpenter
Who ministered in Galilee

Do you wish to see
Jesus too?