I.

The god who made us

is God and we are the ones

He made.

We are born in skin

and spirit and die in skin

and spirit.

God is love and

we are love being freed

from death.

We will be the ones

who once died whom

God made.

We will know

we once died but

do not anymore.

Death requires

memory and love requires

life.

We will live

and we will remember:

The god who made us

is God and we are the ones

He made

Rings

Already tarnished, the rings -- our faces

distorted and fogged by scratches

when we look to see ourselves

the day we put them on. But we are there,

even so, and the promises:

When communion came

you stopped listening at "When the triune God..."

to hear only my face -- precocious

and anxious -- and you must have known

more of the mystery we ate and drank in:

that love distorts us beyond ourselves

and leaves the promise so obscured

that the other is all and enough to be faithful.

Sabbath

Our bodies ache

for sabbath

and move towards it

as rain moves

toward the earth

while people within

their coffee scented homes

watch steam rise

from the streets

and their cups

waiting for the day

peace, too, is perpetual.

A hill

A hill

thistled and dark

with rock and shadow

stands between us and voices

sung high, breaking over the top

like clouds upon mountains -

all we hear is condensation,

wafts of white music

moist as our sweat

but not doomed to fall.

And We, for songs

only faintly known, climb

and our once barren voices bear

hope as We hum along.

Warmth

child like christ sleeps

pink in my blanketed arm.

warmth and rest

are always together.

in cemeteries the frozen

sleep so fitfully

they someday rise.

The Spoon and the Bowl (or A Nihilistic Confession)

the end of all things

is the spoon and the bowl

left from cereal

this morning.

soiled and motionless

and I am not full.

Apologies and a Communal Response

I apologize for my extended sabbatical from writing. My poetry workshop drew out all inspiration and paralyzed me with critical concerns about my writing: I was burnt out. I am still recovering but I will make an effort to write more frequently.

The following is a communal prayer I have written for a chapel I am helping plan. The series it is a part of is entitled: "Praying with." For this chapel we are praying with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46). Enjoy!

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God of heaven, above us and beside us,

we confess that Your ways are not our ways

so with heavy hearts we pray, May this cup be taken from us

That we should forgive and not blame, May this cup be taken from us

That we should submit and not control, May this cup be taken from us

That we should be faithful and not covetous, May this cup be taken from us

That we should give and not hoard, May this cup be taken from us

That we should be struck and not strike back, May this cup be taken from us

That we should show mercy and not judgment, May this cup be taken from us

That we should be wounded with the wounded, May this cup be taken from us

That we should love our neighbor and not fear them, May this cup be taken from us

That we should seek community and not popularity, May this cup be taken from us

That we should carry a cross and not a sword, May this cup be taken from us

That we should die in order to live, May this cup be taken from us

In our weakness, still we seek You.

Holy One, beyond us and among us,

we confess that Your ways are not our ways

so with aching hearts we pray, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should forgive and not blame, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should submit and not control, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should be faithful and not covetous, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should give and not hoard, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should be struck and not strike back, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should show mercy and not judgment Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should be wounded with the wounded, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should love our neighbor and not fear them, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should seek community and not popularity Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should carry a cross and not a sword, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

That we should die in order to live, Our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak

In our weakness, still we seek You.

Our Father, for us and not against us,

we confess that Your ways are not our ways

so with hearts of submission we pray, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should forgive and not blame, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should submit and not control, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should be faithful and not covetous, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should give and not hoard, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should be struck and not strike back, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should show mercy and not judgment, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should be wounded with the wounded, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should love our neighbor and not fear them, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should seek community and not popularity, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should carry a cross and not a sword, Not as we will, but as you will

That we should die in order to live, Not as we will, but as you will

In our weakness, still we seek You.