The Pentecost I Need

i've got a feeling
that if a violent wind
started battering my soul
i would just rund down
to the basement and hide;
but i could use
a gentle nudge
in the morning
to push me towards those
who need my help.

if flames started
darting down from heaven,
my first impulse would be
to call the fire department;
but my heart,
conditioned by the chill
of cynical callousness,
could use some melting.

if i suddenly
spoke in tongues,
i figure folks would start
slowly edging away from me
(if i didn't run from thm!);
but i could use
a new dictionary
filled only
with the language
of gentleness.

i'm not sure
if I need a day
like Pentecost,
or not;
but i know i need
the Spirit as my companion
the rest of my life.

(c) 2007 Thom M. Shuman

alpha and omega and me

okay
i think i've got it!

before anything
(any thing!)
existed
you were;

and when nothing
(no thing!)
remains
you will be.

but
what i want
to know:

where you there
the other day
when temptation
cracked the combination
to my heart?

will you be
when death taps me
on the shoulder
and grins,
'wanna go for a walk?'

and should i whisper
'come,
come soon,
i need you
right now!'

will you?

(c) 2007 Thom M. Shuman

Twins

she would let me snuggle
up next to her at night
and read me story after story,
until i dozed off
with dreams of joy and hope . . .
and i learned that your lap
is always empty - for me.

she sat me down one day
to remind me that words
people hurled at me
were only that - words.
then she held me tight
to her heart . . .
and i learned about
your Word of love - for me.

she used to get up
and go to work on days
when i would pull the covers
back over my head
and sleep in late . . .
and i learned about
your self-giving grace - for me..

do you know how much
you look like my mother,
God of the Universe?

(c) 2007 Thom M. Shuman

Acts 11:17

the homeless, the hungry,
the poor:
always complaining about
their circumstances.
why can't they pull themselves
up by the boot straps like i did?

yet,
you hold open the doors,
waying them in, saying,
'welcome! there's room
for all!'

i wish people
would stop whining and crying
because life is so unbearable.

but
you reach out
and touch their wet cheeks
wth nail-scarred hands.

travelers on a path
of desperation,
searching for One
who has living water
get in my way
as i hurry through life,

and
you remove the stones
in their path,
including me.

who am i
to get in your way,
my God?

(c) 2007 Thom M. Shuman