Observations from Ancient Words

hourglass

The failure to recognize the obvious
always catches me by surprise.
Long, long ago Samuel told the people of God
that no good could come from the rule of kings.
They insisted on being like all other nations.
And along came the kings
who took their children for soldiers and servants,
their goods and grains for self-serving purposes.
Still, they did not learn.

A Poem for All Saints

Spiritual DNA Remembering those who have gone before me in faith honoring those who have died makes a complexity of sorrow and dreams If I could trace my spiritual lineage who would my ancestors be? I know the Irish Catholics would claim more than one Pope,             Several priests, and countless nuns, and maybe a … Read More

The Backside of God: somewhere between prayer and poetry

The Backside of God This season rests heavily upon the earth pressed down on us with waves of sickness made unforgettable by loss of life, of livelihood, of loved ones, of safe harbor driven home by super storms swirling with ever-increasing force and wild fires devouring acre after acre letting scorched and scarred earth speak … Read More

A Conversation with Jesus

in a Roman stronghold, You asked your first disciples     a seemingly simple questionyet You asked them to put their lives on the line for You their answers could be, should be      treasonous to the ears of the Empire Who do you say that I am? a worthy question, even now, especially nowwe live in another Empire … Read More

A Confessional Prayer

Ever-patient God, Jeremiah’s ancient words stir within me You let truth tumble from his lips down through the ages to land on my restless spirit sour grapes are frequently easier to ingest than the word You would inscribe on my heart this troubling truth awakens desire in me yet do I reach for society’s sour … Read More