~Poetry~
(Hence the Beatnik part of my title)
*snap snap*
Lunar huntress,
wounded fawn,
Eyes of black sapphire
betray both aspects
to one soul.
Silken sungold meadows ablaze
drenched in rich dark honey
cascading about your daunting
yet delicate face.
A diamond blizzard
shot through with twilight sun,
flashing dagger wit,
in your lethal heart-melting smile.
What mysteries lurk in your
shadows, dear little Valkyrie?
And what glories await
in your Valhalla?
And how could any man
not cherish the time,
however short,
he was blessed to know you?
~*~
Just to kiss your hand
so soft and strong and sweet,
To see that flash of grace
and humor and patience
in your stellar eyes,
To bow to the light
of your amused and tolerant smile,
for these, I am ever thankful
to you
and to our Lord,
for you are a gift-
and therefore,
a sign of the Giver.
~*~
"Revelation XII"
(Christmas 1995)
Storms flashing with Eternal Fire
crack the frosts of exiled Earth.
Maidenflesh yields to Heaven's desire;
a howling manchild comes to birth.
Rapt unto His Father's seat,
He bursts forth with Seraph blade,
serving the Worm its last defeat,
loving His Bride in Eden's glade.
~*~
LADY OF ANGELS
I
Out in the L.A. night,
midst the city life's galactic swirl,
I see the glimmer of those earthbound stars
against your lithe lioness flesh,
and I want you
to share in this world.
II
Lush woodlands undulate,
while steel veins course
with dark earthblood,
and once vibrant clay lies restful.
I see those forests, those gardens
caress your flowing mane
and I know
this world should be yours.
III
Shrines that chime in Renaissance faith
and howl in primal devotion-
All to the slain and risen Godflesh,
I see their torches reflecting
in your deep twilight eyes
and I want this
to be the world you inherit.
IV
Against rosegrey starkness at World's End,
from the cliffs, as sun and water
and earth itself fade into sunset mists,
I see all undone, reborn
in your soft smile
and I realize
that this world is, was,
and forever shall be
yours.
~*~
EASTER 1996
Merciful Warrior,
Furious Lover,
from Eternal ages, He strides,
crushing oppressors in His rages,
Pursuing, seducing His bride.
Savoring the perfumed clouds
of roasting bulls and rams,
Drinking deep the salt-sweet gore
of dying goats and lambs,
Pure Reason and Mad Passion
of Just and Awful Grace
thundering Law at Sinai
from a Bethlehem infant's face.
Fierce and Holy War goes on
in His soul for His people,
His home,
but the thirst of His wrath
could not be quenched
by any blood, save His own.
Tearing, without sparing,
His own hands, His feet,
His side,
that every foe die or newly arise
in the streams of that scarlet tide,
Born of His blood, formed of His flesh,
each- His child, but together-
His Bride.
~*~
From the poem cycle THE LIVING YEARS,
inspired by the Allen-Goble-Klein film
of the same name.
Set up: Brian is mourning the death of Lisa, his wife,
who finally gave him hope & meaning, enabling him
to stop sorrowing over their long-deceased friend, John,
and get on with building a new life. He now finds
that a embittered former friend, Laurie, may be
a new messenger of Grace to him.
V: Lisa's Desertion
1
How could you?
How dare you?
But I shouldn't be surprised.
Your ultimate revenge for
the seven years of exile
and famine that I forced upon you:
to sentence me to life
in that same Exile.
2
Yes, I had abandoned you
so that I might wallow in despair,
consorting with the shadows,
preferring the company of the dead
over those who loved me,
but then I came back,
renewed,
purged,
to pledge my eternal faithfulness
to you.
Now, I awaken every day in Hell,
to find you forever gone,
gone also to dwell with the shades,
never to return.
3
Do you miss me as I miss you?
Or are you even aware?
No, you're not just limp clay,
without thought or feeling,
but perhaps you take
no thought of me-
absorbed as you are in the glare
of the Beatific Vision,
entranced by the eyes
of the most-gracious ever-cruel Christ.
4
How can I blame you
for choosing Him over me?
For preferring His substance
to my shadow;
after I chased a friend's shadow
to forsake your substance.
5
Is John with you?
Both of you God-adorned in Jehovic Glory,
walking in Paridisial orchards,
him enjoying the Light he never
believed possible while he was here?
Does he ever speak of me?
Pray for me, both of you,
my love; my friend-
and ask out lethal loving Lord,
can't I join you?
VI: Requiem
Your ultimate joke, Lord,
the punch line of Your dark
meandering story
of my life:
that the love that didn't work out
comes to heal me
from the one that did.
Laurie did love me and feared it,
and accepted my love for Lisa
and hated me for running
from all Love.
And now that my wife is gone,
dare I take comfort from-
my first love,
my nemesis,
my adversary, who is now my means of Grace?
It's just like You to take us-
love-torn and battle-weary,
but to declare Peace,
by sheathing our swords
into each others's hearts:
Yours in Lisa's, hers in mine,
mine in Laurie's, hers in Yours.
All right, then,
You capricious, compassionate
and comical Christ,
You have conquered once more
and I do not fear to love again.
Once more You prove
the most frightening passage
in Your Word,
"the LORD sits in the heavens
and laughs."*
Amen.
*Psalm 2:4
 
 
 
 
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