Pure Hope

Ukraine mourns its dead; scores of empty strollers were lined up in the cobbled central square of the city of Lviv on Friday to commemorate the children killed in the country since Russia's invasion.

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“We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human and visible means, nor rests in any visible ends. “ Thomas Merton

Close the gun’s edge

life is sharply

defined.

Clarity is achieved

when you have nothing left

but hope.

That’s when you realize

that your life stands

without any visible

means of

support;

like a high-

wire walker,

you are

pure.

That’s why

you have the freedom

to stand between

the red rage

and the children.

The Connecticut Effect

devastating velocity,
blood thirsty, fresh death-
dealing NRA
lies fly super-
sonic flesh thud-
ing ragged rounds
slamming into
stunned souls,
dreams
die.

(26 Feb 2013)

The Only One

"The only One Who can teach me to find God is God, Himself, Alone."

Thomas Merton, Seeds of Contemplation.

The only one

who can fill black night

with interior light,

who can lead me

past the gun-shots, 

thump and thud,

hate filled percussion,

of hidden mines,

the death of 

children

is God,

Himself,

Alone.

(26 Jan 2013)

Breech-mender

I cried out for help

and in the silence  

I heard a voice,

like my voice

but from deep in a dream, 

ringed in song and sleep.

I heard Him declare, 

"yes,  I am here."

and so I cried, 

"Lord, I am deprived,

have become

the afflicted one

you once saved!"

but He replied, 

"Be quiet. For 

In the silence

of your soul 

I'll make

a cool river flow.

Water-gardens will spring forth

as I lift you, fortify you

until with your strong arms

I'll raise the shattered walls,

mend the breaches

that separate men, 

and restore to life 

the peaceful lanes

for the innocent 

children of Homs 

to play.

ref: Isaiah 58:9-12

(15 Feb 2013)