Preacher and Word of Holy Spirit
A poem by Peter Menkin
September 10, 2009

September, days of Pentecost,
What comes here now...?
Sensibly bring to talk about sermons:
The Holy Spirit.

Modern days, 21st Century days
In this State, in this County, in this town;
let’s not speak of religion,
Or faith, or spiritual terms
This post Christian era—
Its despair of no God, Christ(?)

What is: What comes?
Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost—
That Word, the Word,
What comes here now.

Speak in sermon, spontaneously
We say, and mention the work
Of the Holy Spirit in this enterprise
Of preaching, saying from the pulpit,
The lectern, standing before the faithful,
Of Gospel: breathing language.

Tame words, not so--always, but passion
Of history, time, man, Christ
And God, Holy Spirit. Always.

What comes here now...?
I believe, so the preacher preaches,
And he writes or says extemporaneously
Talk driven and meant for listening to & for
Of Pentecost, the tongues of language and flame,
Its working ways come forth! Halleluajah!
Christ is Risen, come Holy Spirit.

Photo by Rick White of Mill Valley, CA USA. A retired travel photographer for TWA, among others, Rick also worked in advertising at noteworthy Chicago agencies as an art director. This recent photograph by him taken Summer, 2009 is titled, "Sunflower."

Audio reading of poem by poet is here: