Filled

His fat belly fills
his Blue overalls

Her black skin fills
His white arms

They fill my mind
With questions

New

When heaven
Comes down
I believe
We will
Be surprised
By her newness

Not new
Like a child
Or a house
Just built
That still smells
Like paint

But simply
New to us
With carpets
Well-worn
By the feet
Of saints

A Note on Memories

Memories, like birds, take flight
when we get too close

A Prayer on Memorial Day

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Prayer for the day

Usually bread and wine are on the altar
to jog our memory
of things done in the past,
to remind us
of the distance left to go,
to bless us
who are so convinced of our unworthiness.
But today there are only white flowers on your table,
in celebration of our arrival to a kingdom
where your will is done.
Today we catch a glimpse of our true and present reality
us: the bride, enthralled and shining white,
you: the groom, wiping tears from your eyes.
We can't help but smile at the awesome scene,
your climactic vision.
And we thank you for being the God
of white flowers
just as you are God
of bread and wine.

I Saw a Rose

I saw a rose on my neighbors door
This morning when I returned from
Some errand, I now forget. Turning
The key I wondered what occasion
Prompted this display of affection:
A birthday, an anniversary? Maybe
He just wanted to get laid. But after
I sat the milk down on the table
Next to the brown daisies being
Vased in a nalgene bottle
My wife entered
and I kissed her.

If I Were Free

If I were free to stop and explore
The wide red field
With curved tin barn and rusted door

I might think of something better to say
Than to ask the farmer,
“I’ve gotten lost do you know the way?”