Saturday, December 12, 2015

growing up as the God-man
Harvey S. Mozolak

he has left the bed
of animals
Joseph borrowed a house
from some distant kindly relatives
and he is walking now
it seems early
but somehow nothing he will do
will probably be premature
when he walks around the room
outside in the small street
and at the nearby field where Mary
takes him for air
it is like he is a wild creature
caged or un-caged
it is difficult to tell
Auden called him a tiger
once I versed him a panther
his Book said behold a lamb
he has begun to hunt
and stalk evil where it is found
in the neighborhood and nation
like a child who cannot let a pet or beast
be still he will find the foe
and confront its tottering stand
with childlike simplicity of spirit
himself the taunted prey
he the serious game in grace
this is where my Father
sent me to walk
and take a stand
in a sapling
he tells Mary he wishes today to climb
to see beyond Bethlehem's soft beginnings
she warns him of its dangers
one hand to each low branch
he places
he has not yet strength to climb
will the pure and holy virgin
aid this early crucifixion?
are these the lion claws of Judah mounting
he the treed king of beasts?



straw pole
Harvey S. Mozolak

a hey for the hay
he’s bailing us out…
born beneath
the post
holding up the roof
of a barn
with stars stowed
in the rafters




caught
Harvey S. Mozolak

a manger moment
caught in time
frozen figures
warm God
caught just in time
for life beyond
refigured




God’s yes
Harvey S. Mozolak

one large brown leaf
enough to cover
our fall?
December speaks
through the spokes of tree limbs
beyond the stars themselves
a knowing “no”
in the nakedness of God
earthbound




table of Christ
Harvey S. Mozolak

the fragrance of setting
the communion table

wine unstopped
sharp free opened grapes
aged sweet and mellow
leaping to awareness
a life beyond the flask
beyond into the air
unseen but tasted

bread one whole
ready to be broken
and passed to hands
warm like awaiting ovens




faucet shut off
Harvey S. Mozolak

the phrases flow
wetting with ebony
a great deal of paper
with drying thoughts
of the ever God bowed
bent and twisted
into the dates of Augustus
but after the twenty-fifth
we quit counting
and only he does
for us



Christmas Sursum
Harvey S. Mozolak

cold this night when the night
creates anew all days
and an infant’s birth and breath
begins the opening of all graves
and closed hearts
when a baby’s beginning cry
are the first words of God
in our living human tongue
God singing to silence
angry un-quietude with peace
come here and near
and offered to us
the blood of God surging
in the cup Mary bears
and Joseph lifts up
diminishing the morning light
with the tiny tender struggling body
we receive and hold as warmth


o magnum mysterium
Harvey S. Mozolak

the enclosed within
maiden-held God
o great the small
he the I AM of all
mystery come to dust
and flesh for faith
in the greatness of the unseen
contained for us
to blanket bind bruise
bleed and bury
for from his bandages
the blessing of healing will come




post feast post
Harvey S. Mozolak

when it is over
all that is left
the red tail lights
left from looking
down the streets
of strung blinking lights
the cold pots and dishes
soaking in the sink
lost Legos making their way
deeper into couch cracks
and the flesh of gifts
crumpled un-ornamental
balls bagged for the trash
he is off to Egypt amid slashes of red
washed and walking the shore of the sea
then like a prayer shoved into the seams
of the walls of the city-promised peace
the earth unraveled
rutted with ruin
is his swaddling for death
and when it is over
all that is left
is his life posted
that we might live
afterWord and feast




gloria
Harvey S. Mozolak

above the wool-dotted field
a corona of angels
lights and warms a flock of men
as yet manger-unknown
lamps lit to lead
to the light of life’s new breath
where Joseph whispers
Mary quietly sighs
as the baby cries
in a barn’s darkness and cold


higher than the hills
Harvey S. Mozolak

the angels are painted
in glory about the madonna
with the Christ-child
a picture that did not take place
others with cows
donkey and sheep show
although
the unclean shepherds
crowding within
under the loft of hay
peaking beneath the straw
at the blanketed babe
have just seen
been to a concert
of an angelic choir
their hearts must still
beat in blessing
thump and trumpet
with the high praise




shepherds’ flocked praise
Harvey S. Mozolak

song from sky
sad and hurt bleats
among lost lambs
ewes and rams below
readied for sacrifice
a tree cold
covered with rare snow
for the star of stars has fallen
for the herd has been heard
by God



art by Moze
Shawn A. Mozolak
2015

earth kept
by king David’s greatest child
God’s sole Son
we are held
in the keep of the Shepherd of Israel
fed in the lowly Lamb’s manger
by the living staff of life
wood- one day his scepter of mercy
hoc est corpus meum
chaliced in our hands

HSM
2015

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