George and Esther - Wass kann es schoeneres geben

his arms stretch                towards               altos

fingers rubbing together

eyes totally engaged in

now

in creating

perfect

holy

moment  

like it’s the first time   

her back straight

at piano

grey curls crowning

fingers finessing keys

even though she doesn’t see

entire hymnals lively in her memory 

they team this way

she the composer and player

he the shaper and teacher

untiring

unflagging

giving

giving

until music

shining like a polished pearl

radiates our souls

for what can be better

remembrance

lone trumpet rings out

last post

competing with exhaust fan

in sombre gym

where poppies perch

on shirts

and scarves

and lapels  

bleachers filled with teens

wrestling war thoughts down

to the mat of their existence

to pin them to the aeropostale shirts they wear

to fade into general wash of 15 yearoldom  

and then the trumpet stops

and the fan is left to invade

the silence

of five hundred wandering minds  

trying to remember

the  unrememberable

Del Barber

tufts of black hair at odd angles catch the eye

rearranged by sweaty hand

between songs that ask the questions

of existence

in jagged verse

and merry melody 

flaying fingers give guitar voice

as songs story our time with casual urgency

telling tales tall and small

of grin and grimace  

he likes to angle to the mic

with squinting eyes

and run long fingered phrases through our

tufted souls

Bethel at 75

shattered stained glass

rays sunny colours

in all directions

centered

by cross in concrete wall 

side windows let in light

through geometric pastel shades

into building on stafford and carter

reaching a pyramid peak

another cross proclaims on top 

this edifice

this work in progress

containing the clay plates of the apostles

with lofty mission and petty needs

sings through time

back to dusty sandaled middle east

and secret meetings of manz and blaurock

and forward to unsteady seasons

gripping to hope of the

kingdom

in all colours and directions