GROPING AFTER

here a clue,
there a dying echo,
a feel of someone nearby
breathing softly,

at our fearful backward glance,
the drawbridge
silently drops,
we rush into safety,
by hoofbeats nearly
overtaken,

storms and ship-crushing waves,
then marooned upon
convenient island,
met by angels in procession
with dry clothes
steaming casseroles,

groping after:
I see Him for a moment
in you
when I am thankful.


by c van gorkom

JOURNEY PRAYER

we have come so far
from anger and rebellion
to this candle lit parchment mystery
of chastity, modesty,
and fidelity.

we walk to your city,
with its leaded stain glass windows,
through
quaint old landscape tapestries,
into green farm lands,
cottage clustered villages,
your forgotten kingdom.

Simply kindle in us again
the creative fire of desire and vision,
collecting gifts we find to give,
scribbled scenes,
pages of torn poetry,
fragments of your kingdom,

where you lift the fallen,
restore the virgin,
make the shattered vessel
whole again.



by c van gorkom

JESUS PATTERN

You will learn to love me,
then I will die.

You will be devasted,
then I will rise again.

You will be dumbfounded,
overjoyed,
then I will leave you.

You will feel abandoned,
afraid,
then I will fill you
with my Holy Spirit,

Love, joy, peace, patience
and self control
will spring from your heart,

you will wait expectant,
victorious in hope;

Many years later,
I will return.



by c vangorkom

CURLING

Up and down the street
smoke rises in lazy
fragrant curls
from all my neighbor’s
roof-top chimneys,
small wood stove fires,
friendly memories of winter.

Now it is cool, not cold,
there is no wind,
fires are banked,
draft closed,
a late spring evening,
children a-bed,
not a soul stirring,
light slowly dimming,

but birds this time of year
never stop singing

From my porch I am praying
for this street,
this valley and all the world,
a quiet home fire
with smoke always curling,
rising,
and birds always singing.



by c van gorkom

MY DAY

Last light of day
gathers behind
conflicts of clouds,
torn and lashing
rain upon western mountains.

Day has hiking gone,
trailing garments
of golden red,
walking in regal splender,
clouds squalling,
spattering at her heels--

"I am yours" earlier she said
"Do with me anything
you desire"
I must have delayed,
my day, were has she gone?


c van gorkom

UNSPOKEN

you draped your cloak
over me tonight.

I came in from a walk
among trees
dark and foreboding
as deficits,
along a river flooding
with unpronounceable
bankruptcy

it was so cold
after my walk,
you slipped off your cloak,
wrapped it around
my shivering shoulders.

I could feel the warmth
of your body
radiating in it.

you did not say
"I love you"
nor did you say
"trust in God,
He will provide"
you didn't have to,
I knew.


by c van gorkom

Grateful One

you say my words reach you,
touch you,
and suddenly I am wordless,
groping as a blind man
in uncertainty.

where is the stairwell,
the railing?
cane wildly tapping,
reaching for your
reassuring hand,
touching you as words
never can,
holding in the current
of my darkness,
your words of gratefulness;

little lights in paper ships
showing our river
winding away into the black distance
filled with your words to me;

they flicker and dance
on tiny wavelets;
what words can I find in return?
looking at the river,
I know the stairwell,
your hand in mine,
all the railing I need.


by c van gorkom