Commentary

Images and Words

There Is A Quiet

 

There is a quiet in the deep woods

            That bids my feet to stop, to still

 

There is a quiet among the ancient ones

            With uplifted arms in silent worship

 

There is a quiet with moon lit crystals

            Falling on blackened limbs:

waiting,

listening

 

Crisp leaves now fall in staccato rhythm

            Each greeted in joyous celebration

 

Stop, still, wait, listen, worship

The ancient ones in reverence stand in awe

 

They ask: Now what do you hear? 

            Quiet,

Stop,

Still

 

There is a quiet that beckons my soul

            What do you know?  What can you know?

                        Listen,

Quiet,

Slow

 

Be still my soul

 

Know the joy of the One who hears

each leaf,

each staccato sound

Inner Man

Into

O Father

We sit in gentle submission

Waiting, longing

For what? For whom?

 

We pray without ceasing

Desires flowing from dust

            to eternity

Outer man wasting

            Proud, broken

            Ready to return, to dust

Inner man longing

            Closer to an answer

            Closer to reality

            Closer to conclusion

Groaning, decaying

Longing, waiting

Praying

without ceasing

Like this pencil,

Sharp and precise,

useful

 

Then dull

Now sharpened, shorter

Then dull, fading

And sharp

And dull

And sharp

And dull

Again and again and again

Spent, gone

            Returned to dust

Except for these words

left behind

                        looking forward

 Inner man

            Looking forward

                        Without ceasing

Into 

The darkest days of winter

            full of uncertainty and fear

                        of loss and pain

                        grief and sorrow

There comes one

            of light

                        full of joy and peace

                        grace and truth

            like an innocent dove

To bring good news to the poor

            to bind up the brokenhearted

            with healing in his wings

                        to comfort all who mourn

This One, this symbol of peace

            may He bring encouragement

to hope

            in the midst of turmoil

to keep loving

through the darkest days of winter.

Cold, clear stream

Crisp, clean snow

Stately, solemn trees

Stirring, silent breeze

Light overcomes darkness.

March 2020

near home, Minnetonka

A Lament

The world

upside down

distorted

death

decay

all around

Covid

raining tears.

Springtime.

Hope.

The cross is a universally recognized symbol of the suffering of Christ on our behalf.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

“You will find rest for your souls”.

“His mercies are new every morning.”

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and. the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

Sky above La Spezia, Italy April 2023

January 14, 2022

Louisville Swamp, Minnesota

Tortured but enduring

A solitary oak, my companion over many visits.

The prairie grass is burned occasionally either naturally or by conservation workers as means of prairie restoration.

The tree bears scars at its base from these fires. The large knot at the base is its attempt to heal these insults with some success. But the large burn marks remain.

I can barely imagine the storms, the heat of summer, crackling cold winters, driving rain and hail he has endured. I admire his resilience.

He stands alone.

Two years later,

succumbed to scars and time.

March 22, 2024

January 22, 2022

Louisville Swamp, Minnesota

Two oak trees growing intertwined over decades.

Now as one.

Two together