'Mother, i write words'

'Mother, i write words'                                                    timothy r gates, 5/26/2014

 not because they convey your impact.
Rather because they cannot do so.
Words said, not said
Words written, not written
Words, Icons of brilliance and beauty,
because such things are more than more.
"Be still," in the silence
i hear the cacophonous noise,
listening for what at first is unknown.
Then i hear
the stillness of peace in love.
Your memory, Mother, is found in the eternal present.

'my Mother died today'

'my Mother died today'                   timothy r gates, 5/22/2014


answers to questions
questions need no answers
magic pretends
mysteries extend
"If i die before I wake,
i pray the Lord, my soul to take."
Book of the dead
Mourner's prayer of Kaddish
Mnemósynon
Panikhída
Parastas
Memory Eternal --
ways of saying we do not know.
We pray
We shake our fists
We wonder,
not in amazement
We're sad, yet glad
We're tired, yet pleased they're not
We weep, grieving and happy tears,
mixed
questions and answers are eclipsed
by love --
my Mother died today.

'rain'

'Rain'                                       timothy r gates, 5/21/2014


Rain,
cleansing the mind,
mine,
so many baptisms -
one might work.
Thoughts,
obsessions of the mind,
mine,
convoluted penance -
"a work in progress," it is said.
Reflections,
remembers "the power of now,"
mine,
taunting and inspired -
both might win.

'reposed not dead'

'reposed, not dead'                         timothy r gates, 5/17/2014


memory's memories
reposed, yet not
dead.
Be still,
behold the moment,
words heal
words kill
words are words.
words unspoken
words barely whispered
words are not merely words.
divinity's song is heard,
not in sermons
not through positive thinking,
or negative thinking
not in a traditional practice.
breathing resurrection's repose, shared.
"I went down to the river,
I set down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn't,
So I jumped in and sank." — Langston Hughes
or, learn to swim.

'my Son and the Dog he loved'

'My Son and the Dog he loved'          try, 2014, for my Son

 I never liked Brittany much,
she pooped everywhere
left things shredded everywhere.
Yet she made others smile.
My Son hugged her
kissed her
played with her,
laughed with her.
He understood
her smiling,
when others thought she was readying
to bite.
When he was four
Brittany pulled herself
through twelve feet of invisible fence,
to protect him from another dog.
I never liked her much.
I did love her, though,
because she loved my Son.
I know he still misses her,
he's sixteen
and she's gone from this world,
because she was the first,
other than family,
to love him..
I can still see them
hug
kiss
play
smile
together.

'they're fine in their place'

"They're fine in their place"          timothy r gates, 3/10/14


"They're fine in their place,"
heard this at
home
church
school.
women
children
"coloured people"
pets --
most lacked intestinal fortitude,
didn't dare say this order aloud.
"They're going to hell,"
the refrain of Lazarus haters,
"unless they repent
and follow our way."
Unbelievers said the same,
just in their own names.
21st century?
More equality,
now all genders, ages and people of darker hues
are told to be grateful,
"You have a job,"
this told by others controlling
jobs, wealth, and
"their place."

'Jesus cares not for'

Jesus cares not for                  t r gates, 3/10/2014

 rice and beans,
fish and bread,
or steak.
Turned water into wine
five loaves into a feast,
with enough fish for 5,000
(in those days women and children,
less than, weren't counted).
Blessed people,
people others rejected,
no need to follow him
some did,
some didn't,
little ones
lonely ones
women, not counted,
women, unclean to the holy,
leprosy inflicted, also unclean,
prostitutes, unholy but well used,
cripples, out of sight, out of mind.
Jesus cares not for
feasts and fasts,
rules and other rules,
or holiness.
Blessed people,
people who bless
and curse not,
people who are pure
in heart,
people who care
for the aged,
people who are friends
with the poor,
people who
bless people --
people who do not use
definite articles in front of them.
Not blessing people,
this is the end of the world,
the apocalypse,
fire and present brimstone.
End of the age
End of the world
Apocalypse --
the one i pray
the one i've seen
the one i behold
in the
food we share
words we know
silence we hug.
Jesus doesn't give a crap about
what I eat or drink,
he liked fish, bread, herbs, and wine.
the one in Bible stories,
gives thanks, and passes it on.
Sorry, he didn't pass the plate.

'a dust storm' or 'crossroads'

"a dust storm' or 'crossroads'        timothy r gates, 2/1/2014


coming to the
crossroads,
falling to my knees -
tears went dry:
Jesus and his nemesis
at the auction block,
claiming bragging rights to my soul,
it dawned on me,
"This is mine to keep,
to ask to be kept,
or to give it up."
Some,
"Want to go to heaven,
but nobody wants to die."
Some,
desire neither a heaven or hell,
only want to die.
turning around,
at the crossroads
a dust storm baptized my seeing --
wiping my eyes clean:
Gethsemane said hello to
Emmaus,
they seem to desire a triad,
waiting for my note.
i hear the silence of this chord.