from Songs of Unknowing

David Lintner

Christ, if you came knocking

at my door another time,

and not so close to death,

Life is like the sea, it can be peaceful, or it can be rough and rocky.   

The tides of life lift me up to the heights of jubilation, and drop me down to the depths of despair.

I traveled in a little boat they call the body, that was fortunate enough to meet his craft.

For a while the breezes blew us together softly.

We weathered storms and hurricanes in our path as we traveled together, but we could not weather the feared shadow of death.

Death came as a riptide, taking him to the fathoms of the deep.  

I hurt to search for god(s)

inside or out:

the empty, echoing

unanswered questioning . . .

Refiner's fire.

How hard to uncreate realities

when none are given sure,

How did I get here, 

So far from my heart.

The flame in my soul,

Once burning so bright

Now struggles to survive

In the dark of night.

A tall, singular white rose

Alone in a crystal vase

All the raging places are gone, 

the unattainable places,

except for the death of my friends.

I always want to remember

the violation I feel at

reality’s relentlessness,