Stranger

Empty scarce dry barren lonely alienated cold rude mean arrogant cruel torture suffocating filth crowded busy lost grey darkness meaninglessness struggle suffering pulled pushed overwhelmed yelling scared hit slapped shoved whipped raped lynched starved separated poisonous afraid insults demeaning belittle silenced stealing stranger

Zeal

Circus pageant realm circumcision balance oil palace river highway flower truck gutter helium grass knob knife cat sinking booth buttress vision belief zoom beef spatula use rush delight furnace slot binary angel cross long real switch nerves king strike wall beam inherit dollar wean axe wheat circle am watch ear heap slick beer all speeding um finish ruse reefer mallet prevent cooler values refer crushed yawn plea very zeal

In the Presence of Everything

Are you the hand

That I shake in the pew,

Or on my way out the door,

To the parking lot?

…

Are you the presence,

In the plate and cup,

Upon the altar,

That is given for me to consume?

…

Are you the dirty, scarred face,

Of an abused, homeless woman,

Begging on the street,

Around the corner from the grocery store?

…

Are you the gentle face and eager voice

Of the elderly man

Who comes to my front door,

Struggling to use an iPad to show a video?

…

Are you the pastor at the soup kitchen,

Who tells me the administrative position

I’m interviewing for requires someone

Who can shmooze with the volunteers?

…

Are you the book with all the stories

Spoken a long, long time ago,

Written a long time ago,

For people who lived a long time ago?

…

If so, I’m wondering:

What is your name? Who am I

In relation to you?

Why do you appear differently to all?

…

I’d like to pin you down,

Put your number and your address

In my contact list.

I’d like to feel you.

…

I know that’s not how you operate,

If you did, you wouldn’t be God,

Or would you?

Sometimes I wonder.

A Prayer of Brokenness

I’m torn.

The part of me that hurts,

That is angry,

That wants to rebel,

That wants to hurt others,

That wants to be in control,

Constantly whispers temptations

To my weary mind.

My heart is full of rage, fear and grief;

My soul bears lust, shame and gluttony.

I want to be released from these chains.

I want to be whole, pure, complete.

I need God to renew my spirit.

Come and bless me, Father.

Comfy

Travel to amazing people see things walk around never had I ever dreamed smoking guns hang from the chimney with whom do you swear you were with last night at approximately ten o’clock? Stuck in jail, abandoned by all. Found again by everyone, good as new. A bright shining star, with a few dents. If you wish upon that star, you will travel near and far. I like the odds. It’s comfy.

Real Talking

Real talking goes both ways it’s conversing communication I’m interested in you and your life I’m glad you are interested in me I’m interested in telling you about me and my life so it goes not just polite but engaged and can I do anything for you and is there something we can do together I hope so because I like you and you are important to me

Created Beauty, Destroyed

Create from nothing, a body and soul, with a spirit inside, the image of God; and animals, with the spirit in them; though this fallen world makes some animals violent, sick or neglected. It’s a shame really, and our soil, water and air are all becoming polluted and unclean. Do you think there is any hope for the earth? Violent crime is lower than ever but people are being imprisoned for drugs at a record high. It’s big business for the criminals and the government. Howard Thurman said that institutions do what is in their interest, even churches; so, I say the government is prosecuting drug possession like it’s murder, in order to perpetuate itself.