The 60-Second Sabbath

Loss

  • Always Home

    In frustration,I jam the wrinkled, unfolded mapinto the back seat,crank the key in the ignition,and jerk back onto the highway. "I'm lost," I mutter."Hopelessly…" From the passenger seat comes the response,"With me, you're always home." Text and image © 2011… Continue reading

  • Amazing Grace 1

    Nancy's favorite hymn,"Amazing Grace,"was what she wanted sungat her funeral. Several days after her deaththe family sat downwith a patient funeral directorto settle on the details. "No," my father said,"That's such a cliche;there are better hymns." No doubt there are,and… Continue reading

  • Forgive Me

    Forgive me:I have belittled you.I have mocked and laughed at you.I have imagined your shortcomings were not my own,and freed of responsibility for our shared insanity,     made it yours alone.But it isn't yours alone–    it may not be yours at all.… Continue reading

  • Obliquity 4

    All his vast ambitiousnessturned out was quite iniquitous:in all his doing (don't you see?)he never took the time to be. Text, image and audio © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.  To listen to this poem Download Obliquity 4 Continue reading

  • Obliquity 3

    Upon my gravestonesomeone writ:"He got lots done,but that was it." Text, image and audio © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.  To listen to this poem Download Obliquity 3     Continue reading

  • Obliquity 2

    Are you someone infected toowith the constant call to do,to accomplish, overcome,get just one more damn thing done? Are their meetings to attend?Loads of clothes to clean and mend?Stacks of bills to sort and pay?Lists of folks for whom to… Continue reading

  • Job 3

    Many years laterin an unexpected moment of divine candor(seated at the fire,sharing a glass of ruby port),God opened up to Job: "What I really wantedwas for you to yell,'Enough!Enough taking! Enough destroying!Enough pain! Enough loss!'I wanted you to be more… Continue reading

  • Grieving and Receiving

    Grieving, believing, receiving. Or maybe not:perhaps it's grieving, receiving, believing. Or possibly it's simply this:grieving and receiving. Shall the believing be optional? Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.  Continue reading

  • The Boy

    The boystretches across his bednaked;the day has not yet cooled,but the wind, though warm,evaporates the moisture from his arms and chest,and this is good. He always listens when the the wind speaks,sometimes inviting him to play,sometimes warning of danger,sometimes telling… Continue reading

  • After One Martini

    After one martiniand half their order of crostini,he confessed:"When it comes to Godand matters of faith,I have many doubts." She put down her glass."Sweetie, that's very good." "Good?" he asked. "Well, yes.Doubts are empty spaces waiting to be filled,like holes… Continue reading