Transfiguration
Matthew 17. 1-9
Harvey S. Mozolak

figuring across 
staying in the mountain moment
pausing in the profound praise
basking in the blessing
some are led to such heights
at times and in places
occasional and isolated often
but as we are touched by the words
of the Word and taste his flesh
and are consumed by his life-blood
there are only
the days and land left
until the resurrection
among which Jesus walks
to figure a cross

walk in the woods
awaiting four inches

Harvey S. Mozolak

the snow has collected
in small depressions
where the bark is pulled away
from a trunk
in a pock of a rock
at a deep center to a pile of leaves
gathered against the wind
on the lateral limb
refusing to follow the rising tune of the tree
in the cleft of roots at the base
a large flake
flies at the window of my mind
lashes shutter shut
and a tear refuses the cold
even the wonder of some intricate impression
for the snow gathers simply a pall

precious the moments

Harvey S. Mozolak

no pallid pale passion
but plenty of pastel angels
they make a nativity
set with soft lambs
simple haloes like gold wedding rings
even children kneeling
in and before a ceramic
lovely-flowered cross
but no bodied wood
cold clay with dark stains
deep red swashes
and cracks showing in flesh
placed on bedroom bureaus
and family room knickknack shelves
among wishy-washy souvenirs
of the precious moments
of life before death

(reflection on another’s [Pr. L.P.] observation) 

cardinal
February 9th before 8 AM

Harvey S. Mozolak

there maple’s crimson
had congealed to brown
taking the small senseless flight
death’s drip
to mound the ground
as the fall storm stirred

at about the same place
and perhaps exactly
on a winter-bare branch
was a bright bird
two days in a row
red as a drop of life
today the third
still February freezing
the air empty
where the twigs like feathers
await returning warmth
and the leaves of light

beneath
in the thawing earth
the cardinal’s claws clasp
beak and break the worm

Matthew four
Harvey S. Mozolak

curing every disease
and every sickness
among the people
the gospel signs
the prescription
take this One for eternity
curing every…
even well… you know…
certain things
small or swollen
gums and scalp
and can you cover lower places?
and Lord
would you look at my big toe
too and how swollen it is
these rotten sandals
sure we know leprosy
and bleeding that will not stop
dropsy whatever that is
blindness and paralysis
but cured by God
salted to last
that’s good news for…
ears that cannot hear
and hearts clogged with hate

Matthew 4. 12-23

sursum corda
Harvey S. Mozolak

her thoughts at once fearful
yet surprised
Mary reached into his arms
and marveled that her Joseph
was not dead
old but lively in this moment
as they dried the wet infant
of heaven’s dew sprung
from the virgin well
he laughed
the beams of the carpenter’s arms
like the limbs of an unshaved oak
held the boy high
unlike that bearer who carried holiness
and touched to catch the falling
ark of promise in a stumble
he cried and died
her hands and Joseph’s ached
only with love to lift
the  baby from the feed box
and hold God squirming among them
the covenant
begging to be touched and kissed
that he might share joy divine
and his Father’s forgiveness
for the Fall

and for those who want a XPmass Proclamation of more traditional sort but yet newly written, I composed the following verse a few years ago and used it in both my last parish in Pennsylvania and my recent interim parish here in North Carolina:

Christmas Proclamation
Harvey S. Mozolak

long many long years ago
generations multiplied by a multitude
ages before eons and epochs
God saw this evening and day
and it was good
as the child lay holy in the hay
before light opened its eyes
to see the sea and seething stone
mound and cool as hills cast in mountains
the fish flash and birds in flight
man astonished at woman
lifted from his side beneath his skin
here a child from no man
but of a virgin’s belly boldly born
waves and waves ago
deep through the tides of time
well after the last lashing splashes
of the flood deluged the world
he washed ashore our flesh
a band of blessing light
new covenanted bent and bowed below
the reign of God
divine dew on the cold rock of the fodder feeder
centuries beyond the centenarians
Sarah and Abraham
who seeded the stars and plowed the sands
with myriad grandchildren’s feet
he came a shock to David’s stock
young maiden Mary of his tribe
too young and pure to know her womb a home
but God comes there by holy promise
to live and grow within and do without
where overwhelmed
drowning in captivity to sin
faltering like Pharaoh’s chariots floundering in the sea
as Moses-child to Egypt from his mother’s arms
he goes out to free his people
to save like Boaz his starving ancient mother Ruth
and rescue like the Judges
Gideon Deborah Barak Sampson
and Samuel last and also priest
anointing David boy of little Bethlehem
king prophesied so small
unknown and insignificant
beside the royal Rome that Daniel saw
with richness and in fear
the power and  peace
this the pax
at the right time
conceived by the Holy Spirit
thus after nine months of darkness
tabernacled by Mary’s ribs
fed by the flow of blood
near her consenting heart
born dropped down
like dawn from heaven
this we proclaim
God stakes out his fatherly kingdom
among us with his Son
now even in this year this day and hour
of our annual solemn joyous celebration 
full-throated in gloria-alleluias