On Word, Law, and Life: First 6 stanzas

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Tom Bolton

On Word, Law and Life

Along the Way

Aware, aware, finally aware that the righteous are blessed, those who stay close to the Lord, steeped in the Word, blessed are they.
Alive, alive, we are finally alive as we, wide-eyed disciples, search out our master, search  deep into the living–that Word from the beginning.
Aware of the way,
they follow His way,
Active, acting, aware and acting on precepts proscribed and written, carefully acting and awesome aware.
Alleluia and Amen! Obedient, praying, discerning, firming–finding the way,
A student, I study, searching the Word,
Today in Law, in the Word.
Abandoned, yes, once abandoned, no more
Alone, I listen, I obey, I try to obey.
Alive, I too live; alive, I give thanks;
in my spirit, alive; keep me right, o Lord.

Blessed in the Way

Born pure, we young struggle and rot, seeking pristine purity, blessed in the Way, this Word.
Breathing in this book, this blessed, blessed Word,
I try, try, try to stay on the narrow path, teetering, tending my weak joints, buckling.
Braving this world, my heart beating, awash in Your Word,
Let me be right and pure today, blessed.
Blessed be your name, O Lord, I thank you, blessed to learn the law that I resist. Yes, I resist.
Beating your Word across my tongue, across my mouth,
Blessed to remember, to repeat, to recall.
Joy in the Word, Blessed!
Joy in the Word.
Beguiled in the reflection of your Word, blessed by your Way.
Bejeweled in your journal, your Word close at hand. Blessed Amen!

Commanded, Living Free

Commanded to live, keep me free, alive, awash in Your Word, cleansed in Your Word, 
Cleansed, clinging to Commandments, relationships freed, miracles clearly seen.
Clinging, clawing my way through this strange New World, keep me, hold me in Your Word.
My soul clamors, longing for Your Word, even when I jerk to deny, clamoring for Your Word.
Condemned, firm in the center, encircled in me, we, greedy ones, circle around, condemned, away from Your Word.
Aware, and back, and in Your Command,
Contempt burns me, and faltering I come back.
Contempt around me, I seize the Word,
alive and aware, alive in Your Word.
Clearly these Words guide me, alive, with joy,
At peace, mes amis, alive in Your Word. Amen.
Condemned, away from the Word, was Esau hated, or away–simply away–away from the Word?

Decreed to Live

Death, I am close to death.                   
Down, I am so down some days. Give me new life.
Done, it is done, and I told you all that I have done, and I am excited–you answered. Decreed to live, teach me the decrees.
Decrees do escape me today. Will you teach me gently?
Do not dumb it down as I reflect on today’s miracles.
Drowning in my own tears, can it be? Down, down, grant me strength.
Divert my wandering eyes from idols of the world. Delight me in surprising ways with the Word. Yes, surprise me.
Descending not low, not now, I rise up in new height, with these decrees of life.
Dragging my Bible with me everywhere these days, digging in the decrees, keep me righteous Lord; don’t embarrass me.
Delighted, I am delighted when I understand your word. Not demands so much, your decrees work through me–my partner.

Elevated, Enlightened

Enough! Again enough! Educated in your laws, I obey them to the end. Endless.
Enlighten me each day; fill my mind gently, and I will hold your heavenly edicts in my heart.
Encircling this earthly tabernacle on this rolling path, I am giddy now; keep me joyful, heavenly one.
Enjoying the rich, enriching edicts of your word, ground me, keep me here,
Ensnared not by these get-rich-quick schemes so frequent here.
Joy in the Word, Blessed!
Joy in your Word.
Entrust your word to me, deep in me, so that I can understand fear, and even then, love you.
Even now these harsh words of too many are drenching me, but
Evasion of word-heaps comes easily, secure in your righteous regulations.
Entering the quiet, cocoon space of your guidance, hearing your word deep in me,
Entering new life, I am right.

Freedom Walk

Freely I embraced your blessings, Lord, and finally I find your promises in me. 
And firmly I find in You the answer to those who taunt me here, and
Fully I trust, grab tight to your word.
Freely I find hope in your truth, Holy One;
Freely I trust in your word–it is so.
Following your teaching forever and forever, I obey.
Freely I will walk where I wish, freely following you, fresh-found mentor-friend,
For I sought out your free guidance, and you favored me.
Forthright let me speak your fresh word freely, and
Feel free and brave with bosses and family.
Joyful in your word, blessed!
Joyful in God’s word!
Fully I meditate, and open my hands, offered freely in prayer,
Fully I meditate; not my will, but yours, I freely offer.

C Thomas M Bolton, January 2012

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On Word, Law and Life: stanzas 4 through 6

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Tom Bolton

Continuing this piece based on Psalm 119, contemplating study of the Word, covenant today and life–life in hope.

On Word, Law and Life

D. Decreed to Live

Death, I am close to death.
Down, I am so down some days. Give me new life.
Done, it is done, and I told you all that I have done, and I am excited–you answered. Decreed to live, teach me the decrees.
Decrees do escape me today. Will you teach me gently?  
Do not dumb it down as I reflect on today’s miracles.
Drowning in my own tears, can it be? Down, down, grant me strength.
Divert my wandering eyes from idols of the world. Delight me in surprising ways with the Word. Yes, surprise me.
Descending not low, not now, I rise up in new height, with these decrees of life.
Dragging my Bible with me everywhere these days, digging in the decrees, keep me righteous Lord; don’t embarrass me.
Delighted, I am delighted when I understand your word. Not demands so much, your decrees work through me–my partner.

E. Elevated, Enlightened

Enough! Again enough! Educated in your laws, I obey them to the end. Endless.
Enlighten me each day; fill my mind gently, and I will hold your heavenly edicts in my heart.
Encircling this earthly tabernacle on this rolling path, I am giddy now; keep me joyful, heavenly one.
Enjoying the rich, enriching edicts of your word, ground me, keep me here,
Ensnared not by these get-rich-quick schemes so frequent here.
Joy in the Word, Blessed!
Joy in your Word.
Entrust your word to me, deep in me, so that I can understand fear, and even then, love you.
Even now these harsh words of too many are drenching me, but
Evasion of word-heaps comes easily, secure in your righteous regulations.
Entering the quiet, cocoon space of your guidance, hearing your word deep in me,
Entering new life, I am right.

F.  Freedom Walk

Freely I embraced your blessings, Lord, and finally I find your promises in me.
And firmly I find in You the answer to those who taunt me here, and
Fully I trust, grab tight to your word.
Freely I find hope in your truth, Holy One; 
Freely I trust in your word–it is so.
Following your teaching forever and forever, I obey.
Freely I will walk where I wish, freely following you, fresh-found mentor-friend,
For I sought out your free guidance, and you favored me.
Forthright let me speak your fresh word freely, and
Feel free and brave with bosses and family.
Joyful in your word, blessed!
Joyful in God’s word!
Fully I meditate, and open my hands, offered freely in prayer,
Fully I meditate; not my will, but yours, I freely offer.

–January 2012 Tmb

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Deep In This Night

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Tom Bolton

I wrote this after my devotion time at about 3:00 am on Saturday. It had been a good night for me.

Deep In This Night (Morning?)

Time perverted, I grasped this stress
in me, deep in the night, and I
shook it, shook it and tossed it aside.

No longer my own, deep in this night,
I seized the word and held it so tight,
My knuckles whitened, my face red.

And the snores lulled me to calm,
Softly echoing one side of the room
to the other, and soft gaelic pipes filled me too.

Employed by Christ, I felt it on this plain,
here on this soft, moist, roamy earth,
and tonight for this moment, my employment seemed simple.

Sometimes I have had nothing, sometimes
I have drowned in too much, but
Tonight there is just the right measure,
Time perverted, and stress freed.

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On Word, Law and Life

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Tom Bolton

These verses are the beginning of a longer work in development, on living in Scripture.

On Word, Law and Life

A. Along the Way

Aware, aware, finally aware that the righteous are blessed, those who stay close to the Lord, steeped in the Word, blessed are they.
Alive, alive, we are finally alive as we, wide-eyed disciples, search out our master, search deep into the living–that Word from the beginning.
Aware of the way,
they follow His way,
Active, acting, aware and acting on precepts proscribed and written, carefully acting and awesome aware.
Alleluia and Amen! Obedient, praying, discerning, firming–finding the way,
A student, I study, searching the Word,
Today in Law, in the Word.
Abandoned, yes, once abandoned, no more
Alone, I listen, I obey, I try to obey.
Alive, I too live; alive, I give thanks;
in my spirit, alive; keep me right, o Lord.

B. Blessed in the Way

Born pure, we young struggle and rot, seeking pristine purity, blessed in the Way, this Word.
Breathing in this book, this blessed, blessed Word,
I try, try, try to stay on the narrow path, teetering, tending my weak joints, buckling.
Braving this world, my heart beating, awash in Your Word,
Let me be right and pure today, blessed.
Blessed be your name, O Lord, I thank you, blessed to learn the law that I resist. Yes, I resist.
Beating your Word across my tongue, across my mouth,
Blessed to remember, to repeat, to recall.
Joy in the Word, Blessed!
Joy in the Word.
Beguiled in the reflection of your Word, blessed by your Way.
Bejeweled in your journal, your Word close at hand. Blessed Amen!

C. Commanded, Living Free

Commanded to live, keep me free, alive, awash in Your Word, cleansed in Your Word,
Cleansed, clinging to Commandments, relationships freed, miracles clearly seen.
Clinging, clawing my way through this strange New World, keep me, hold me in Your Word.
My soul clamors, longing for Your Word, even when I jerk to deny, clamoring for Your Word.
Condemned, firm in the center, encircled in me, we, greedy ones, circle around, condemned, away from Your Word.
Aware, and back, and in Your Command,
Contempt burns me, and faltering I come back.
Contempt around me, I seize the Word,
alive and aware, alive in Your Word.
Clearly these Words guide me, alive, with joy,
At peace, mes amis, alive in Your Word. Amen.
Condemned, away from the Word, was Esau hated, or away–simply away–away from the Word?

–12/20/2011 Meditations on Psalm 119.

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Are there More Homeless Irish Than When I Was Blind?

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Tom Bolton

Truly I heard the gentle brogue tonight,
a soft, genteel, lilt in his voice.
He could sell snow to eskimos, would sell, and
yet I heard the uncertainty there, the
yearning for his mother’s word-caress.

So alone, he wanted to be loved.
Long ago, as I saw the homeless, there
were no Irish there, and I crossed the
street away.
Somehow I didn’t see Irish there,
but my eyes were welded, and I saw
What I would see.

How many Germans walk in here,
my eyes worn, patched now, but acute?
On the southside of Milwaukee, Germans
camp, and come in from the cold, heads high still,
these blond, grey gods, not wanting to be seen here.
Are there more homeless Germans than when
I was blind?

I saw so clearly when I was blind.
The weld on my eyes kept out the light polution
and I saw what I would see.
So I came into the Light and
saw what I could see, whe I came in,
and saw the sights not so sharp as what
I saw when I was blind.

12-31-11

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A Divine Intervention, Near New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Tom Bolton

So close, so close, these women and men, 
close to me in this tiny lounge in this huge,
huge Church building, this small, fragile church
people, these powerful people of God.

So close I have been times in the past, but
blessed, blessed to move on, move in, blessed
in this world, blessed to listen and live in
this fragile, small community of light.

So close, so close, these women and men,
so close they came to this communal,
fettered life–how many times?–before they
came to this life, free and yet fettered.

Walking with the poor, the free and yet fettered,
free and enslaved, owned and controlled,
alive and yet distant, we are so close
in this warm, warm lounge, Crosby and
Hope crossing eons and with us too.

So close the Word was with me today, now
on the table in front of me, all night
in people around me, God’s guests,
God’s folk, so close beside me, around me.

So close, I hear their quiet conversations,
so close, I hear their pleas for families,
abandoned, dependent, alive and apart.

So close, I hear anger flair so
rarely, but so near to the surface, so close,
so tight, so sore and still calloused, so
lonely even as so close.

In the night-time deep, so close to sleep,
mother was near, quiet and warm, and
I wondered if I was asleep. Sleep was silent,
but it was two ay-em.

So near to sleep, but I arose, unable to
sleep, to wander the halls a while and
hear the breathing so close.

So close, so close, these women and men,
close to me in the blessed wing of this huge,
huge church building. We are so close here.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,
you are mine, and I am yours. So be it!

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No Worries Today

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Tom Bolton

This is a poem I wrote in January 2011, as I was remembering some of my political roots, and contemplating some writings by John Wesley. I had not yet studied Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, by Rev. Adam Hamilton. But that book and the study I led for the book in the summer was certainly connected in some way to my contemplation in January.

No Worries Today

I am grown,
I have listened, I have faced terrors with calm
and boldness.

And yet I fear this day.
I fear that I may offend,
or make some see me as ‘Less Than,’
or worse, see them or others as
Less-Than.

When I speak on this, am
I partisan?
Or political, or selfish or
in community?

I remember words of Hubert at a
Dining table in Louisville.
He never ate,
But regaled us with stories
of compromise and movement
and progress.
Even in defeat, he seemed to love
both sides of the aisle.
He loved us that day.
His eyes shone–
No force, no retreat,
But looking to the future,
our future.
Progress would come in this
Civil discourse,
this post-schism place.
And I remember Timmy,
seeking the decisions for
the People–
Pumping the hands,
Hugging the shoulders,
Smiling the bright ruddy smiles,
Battling the cause by day,
and seeing the people as human–frail and good,
failing and succeeding–
on both sides of the chambers at night.

And as I seek what is right,
As I fear whom I might offend
or whom I might pierce and
push away,
I remember John speaking to God:
You are mine and I am
Yours.
So Be It!
Let me be employed for you
or
Laid aside for you.
And may we be together.
Set aside my fears this day!

I was uncomfortable as I copied this poem into the blog today, because I played around with Wesley’s Covenant Prayer–a prayer that has changed my life as I say it daily. Ultimately, I decided to keep this poem as I wrote it originally. Perhaps even Wesley altered his prayer sometimes.

Hubert is Hubert Humphrey, who I met at a convention in 1973. I was lucky to be seated randomly at the same luncheon table with him. But Hubert never ate anything that day. He talked about history non-stop. I was struck then by the fact that he loved politicians on both sides of the aisle, despite his marvelous passion. His love and tolerance still impress me–maybe more so today.

“Timmy” was my mentor in politics, and he too worked with both sides of the aisle. He respects people–as people–and that is important now, as it was then.

It is sometimes hard for me to set aside my passions to respect both sides of an issue.  But I have found moments where that civility has helped to solve an issue, and to help people.

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