Prose Poems of contemporary Spirituality      

     Jesus spirituality in English y espanol

Our Souls Are Flat Like Tires
Did the Spirit move of old and stop today?
Do we not need a touch of celestial fire?
Where will we find the bright glow of holy hope?
Where comes the tremble of hidden fire deep in the soul?

To inspire, to lift, to rise above the muck, O Holy Spirit, we need thee -- we need thee.

In ways quiet or loud --
the lilies bloom, the thunder cracks and booms, or
the sacred thought circles in our mind -- we need thee to speak and guide.

For we are tired and flat like wilted tires -- uninspired.
Stop not at the inspiration of the holy book of old.
We need thee now; our souls are flat.
Come fill us with the bright glow of celestial fire.

Praying For The Spirit's Fire
Shall we not pray for some of the Spirit's passionate fire?  Shall we not ask for more light and love within us?  Shall we not ask for peace amidst chaos and confusion?  Could we not pray to be free from the mud of mediocrity?

And while we are asking for great blessings -- we could ask that even the mud and grime sparkle like diamonds, and if, that is not possible, that our souls would sparkle and our smiles shine -- never minding the mud.

                            Human Dust To Touch

  Obviously, the great reason not to follow the call

is that it is too much for human clay.  Who is equal to it?

  Yet, one great reason to follow the call remains,

   we are asked to follow his way.

   Who is equal to the call --  We who are made of clay?

  But if we can not minister by our glory and might,

  then by our wounds and weakness, our lumps and losses,

  let them be our calling card.

   Say, "I am like you, and if grace came to me,

   Surely it may reach you too."  Proclaim, not yourself greater,

   but that God is able human dust to touch.

 

               I Want The Rock                 by bruce williamson

       Some like Indiana Jones have sought the Arc of the Covenant, and others have sought for the Holy Grail that Jesus lifted up and blessed. But I want the rock.  Not the rock that David flung into Goliath's skull --that with a sickening thud -- hit its mark. That's not the rock I want.

       I want the rock held in an angry fist as voices shouted, "She was caught in the very act of adultery; the law of Moses commands that we stone her." And Jesus challenged them, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." Someone was first to let go of their self-righteousness. Someone relaxed their gripe and their rock fell first. I want that rock -- the rock of mercy and peace.  The rock Jesus persuaded to fall to the ground

without the stain of blood,

                  without the stain of anger,

                                           without the stink of self-righteousness.

That is the rock I want --a holy relic of mercy. Would it not be greater than the Arc of the Covenant?

Would it not be equal to the Holy Cup at the Last Supper?

Would not the sight of it bring tears to the eyes of many as they knelt before it?

     And if that rock of mercy and peace is forever lost, and I can not have it, then I will treasure the Savior whose words made that rock holy and kept it pure from the defilement of human anger, hypocrisy and the red stain of blood.   

                  Quiero la Piedra       

                                          autor: Bruce Williamson

    Algunos, como Indiana Jones han buscado el Arca del Pacto, y otros han buscado el Santo Cliz que Jesus levanto y bendijo.  Pero, yo quiero la piedra.   No la peidra que David incrusto en el craneo de Goliad -- esa que con un ruido sordo -- dio en el blanco.  Esa no es la peidra que yo quiero.

    Quiero la piedra que estaba en las manos enfurecidas de las voces que gritaban: " :Ella fue atrapada en el acto mismo de adulterio; la ley mosaica exige que muera apedreada.."  Y Jesus los reto:  "El que este libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra."  Alguien fue el primero en dejar su arrogancia.  Alguien aflojo la mano y dejo caer su piedra.  Yo quiero esa piedra -- la piedra de la piedad y la paz.  La piedra que Jesus persuadio a que cayera al piso

           sin ninguna mancha de sangre,

                 sin ninguna mancha de enojo,

                       sin el olor de la arrogancia.

    Esa es la piedra que yo quiero -- una santa reliquia de misericordia.  ?No seria algo mas grandiosos que el Arca Del Pacto?  ?No seria igual al Santo Caliz de La Ultima Cena?  ?No haria que al veria se llenaran los ojos de lagrimas de muchos mientras se arrodillan ante ella?

   

    Y que tal si la piedra de la misericordia y la paz se perdio para siempre, y simplemente, no la puedo tener.  Entonces, yo valoraria mas el Salvador cuyas palabras hicieron santa a esa piedra y la mantuvieron pura de la impureza del odio humano, de la hipocresia y de las rojas manchas de la sangre.

    mas in espanol

              La Iglesia en Ti

? Estas buscando una iglesia de orden y pureza perfecttos donde  todo concuerda contigo?  Una iglesia donde cada opinion es la reflexion pura de la inteligencia de tu mente.  Yo preguntaria:

            ? Realmente buscas la iglesia en Ti ?

 Contigo como sacerdote,

     Contigo como coro.    Cpmtogp [ara e; sermon, y contigo para el "Amen."

  Me gustaria sugerir que tal vez deseas una iglesia que te rebasa a ti mismo.  Una iglesia donde algunos adolescentes encuentran ciertas evasivas -- y tu mismo encuentras algunas.  Una iglesia donde las manos de los ninos han manchado las paredes, y los bebes lloran al fin del pasillo, y alguien tose en el momento de una oracion silenciosa.

   Una iglesia en la que gente vive y aprende.

Una iglesia con sermones de la Biblia, que tu ignoras.

Una iglesia con opiniones fuera de lo comun.

Una iglesia de algunos pecadores perdonados.

En pocas palabras, una iglesia tan real y variada como la vida.

Una iglesia donde Dios pueda permanecer.

Podria gustarte esto.   Nunca sabes, podria ser la iglesia perfecta.

 

                                   Finding Love            

 

           I have been intimate with forest and trees,  grass and mountain streams.  I have cuddled up with furry dogs on cold nights, and

whispered "I love you" to the setting sun and kissed the morning light.

         In short I have found a home on this earth, and having arrived safely at this place, I expect to arrive safely at the next place, too.

                     en espanol                                                                              English          and Spanish                                                                                              

        Una Vida En Santidad            A Sacred Life

 

Me arrodillare en oracion.                  I will knell in prayer.

Me levantare en poder.                             I will rise in power.

Dejare que mi espiritu se eleve.               I will let my spirit soar.

Me corazon oira canciones de fe.             My heart will hear songs of faith.

Mis ojos beberan en la escritura sagrada       My eyes will drink in the sacred Scriptures,

     con la vision de la cruz sobre mi,                      the sight of the cross above me,

     la belleza de la tierra alrededor de mi.             the beauty of the earth about me.

Tomemonos juntos de la mano.                             Let us join hands together.

Hagamos alguna buena obra en este mundo:      Let us do some good work in this world:

        Ayudando al debil, ensenando a los ninos,      helping the weak, teaching the children,

         o trabajando por justicia.                               or working for justice.

Abrasemos a Jesus Cristo como Salvador.  Vivamos con amor, felicidad y seamos mejores de lo que eramos antes.  Y

Let us embrace Jesus Christ as Savior. Let us love, laugh and become more than we were before.  And

cuando sea tiempo de morir, dejame ir a Dios.  Por que hace mucho tiempo encontre mi hogar en Dios.

when it is time to die, let me go on to God.  For long ago I found a home in the Lord.

Me arrodillare en oracion.  Me levantare en poder.   I will knell in prayer.  I will rise in power.

 

            To Christ on the Cross         A Cristo Crucificado

                                       unknown authorship?  Often attributed to St. John    of the Cross/ Santo Juan de la Cruz.  It may be from a later Spanish poet of the 1800s.  Please contact me if you have information on the authorship or history of this remarkable poem en espanol. 

             No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte

             el cielo que me tienes prometido;

             ni me mueve el infiero tan temido

             para dejar por eso de ofenderte.

            

              Tu me mueves, senor, mueveme el verte

              clavado en una cruz y escarnecido;

              mueveme ver tu cuerpo tan herido;

              muevenme tus afrentas y tu muerte.  Mueveme, en fin, tu amor, y en tal manera

              que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara,

              y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera.

              No tienes que me dar parque te quiera,

              pues aunque cuanto espero no esperara,

              lo mismo que te quiero te quisiera.

             

Two translations of "To Christ on the Cross"

      A translation by Bruce Williamson

     Lord, I am not moved by my desire to have heaven

         as you have promised.  Nor am I moved by the

         fear of hell to avoid offending you.

    Lord, you are what moves me.  You on the cross and

          mocked with every breath.  I am moved to see the wounds

          on your body.

    I am moved by a love

      so great that I would love

      you even if heaven's prize

      were not there.

   You need give me no prize

   to buy my devotion.

   For even if what I hope for

   is not there.

   I will still love you with a devotion

   as great as before.

--------------------------------------------------  Another translation into English

            To Christ On the Cross

    I am not moved, my God, to give you love

    by thought of heaven that you've promised me;

    nor am I moved thought of dreaded hell

    for that alone, to cease offending thee.

    You are what moves me, Lord: I'm moved to see

    you on a cross and mocked with every breath;

    I'm moved to see your body racked with wounds;

    I'm moved by your affronts and by your death.  I'm moved, in sum, by love for     you so great that I would love you were not heaven there,

    and I would fear you, if there were no hell.

    You need give me no prize to love you thus,

    for even if what I hope I hoped not,

    as I now love you I would love you still.  

                                                                                              

                     Frieda Kahlo

Body so broken

Spirit so alive,

   wife

        artist,

                 Mexican.                                   Vision So vivid, Voice so strong.

                                                                   in life, in pain, for Mexico.

                                                                   Viva Mexico.

* Frieda Kahlo -- Mexican painter.   A back injured in a traffic accident was a major source of pain in her life.  She often painted her own painful state of health.  Her last painting had the words "Viva Mexico" carved into a slice of watermellon.