Thursday, April 15, 2010

get up! (John 21:1-19; Psalm 30)

my burdens, struggles,
worries and doubts
lie on the floor
    scattered after
    last night's game
        of hide-and-seek;

i had to get up
in the middle of the night,
    changing the sheets
    on the bed, soaked
        from the nocturnal
            anamnesis
                of my foolish
                    day;

most mornings,
    trust hungover the bow,
    mercy hanging in rags,
    hope slipping off the hook,
        i cast out my life,
        only to pull in
            despair's emptiness.

but there you are
down in the kitchen:
    flour all over the counters,
    dirty pots stacked high
            in the sink,
juice poured,
tea steeped,
    hollering up the stairs,
        'get up, lazy faith!
        breakfast's ready!'

(c) 2010 Thom M. Shuman

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Holy Humor Sunday

dour-faced
in the presence
    of stunning sunsets;

stricken with chronic severity
while surrounded
    by gurgling babies;

frozen-souled when touched
by the warmth of
    grace;

if we are made in your image,
it's no wonder people think of you
as a grouchy old geezer,
    God of Joy.

       so, breathe on us . . .

fill our souls with:
    laughter which chases away
        the long faces;
    chuckles which wipe frowns
        off our brows;
    great guffaws
        which shatter hardened hearts;

           fill us,
           Breath of sidesplitting shrieks,

so we can celebrate
the last laugh on
    death.

(c) Thom M. Shuman