From Rockette to the Rock

Twins

Oh, sweet shell
That lies as dead along the ocean’s edge,
Tossed, tormented, teased.
To the applause of waves, you dance—
A lonely dance—to tunes of memories
That deep inside your spiral curve are wedged.
No mystery awaits me when I lift you to my ear;
That reverie you play I know so well.
Come, my twin, we both are prisoners of life:
You by the ocean; I, my self-made hell.

Little Things

Little things: the loving look, the touch of hands, the sweet embrace.
Little things: the morning bread, the tousled hair, the naked face.
Small these stitches seem, and go unnoticed in life’s shawl,
And yet without their locked embrace, we’d have no warmth at all.

New Born

Oh, son, just born, oh innocence!
How can you know that you were thrust from
Death’s big womb?
She housed your living, throbbing form…
A swollen tomb
Of emptiness.
But that was then, before I heard
Your cries
And saw that love-filled face, so full of life
And sounds and warmth. All this belies
My death trance state of nothingness
Where I in hell did vegetate
My once rich life away.
Oh son, not only you were born
But I was born today.

Holy Spirit

In death’s big womb I spent my life
Imprisoned by my appetites and flesh.
A living death.
Cut off from God
From men
From love.
Stalemated by myself I couldn’t even cry.

The Holy Spirit prayed for me.
My voiceless cries were heard—don’t let me die.
And lo from out the bowels of death
I now can reach the sky.

Untold Gratitude

Oh, Father God
How inadequate I feel
To praise your holy name.
How lame I am,
A sinful person
Shame and vanity so often
Paralyze me.

But you see all things, oh! Mighty God
And know my heart—the very hairs
Upon my worthless head.
You care for the little sparrows
How much more you love us.
So you’ve said.

Thank you Lord for dying on the cross
For me.
You would have done the same
If I alone were left on earth.

Oh! Lord, please hear my joyful words
Of love, your love
And Glory be to God, for my undeserved
Re-birth.