Friday, February 3, 2012

on Novices (a meditation)

sometimes novice are just done
they step away from studies
    
monk robes become dusty...discarded
tonsured hair grows out

duties fall away...neglected
cigarettes held in bully fists

slow slide from fireside whiskey
to garage bursting with empties

the Bible left unopened
forgotten and lost

pursuits of virtue swing to vice
old life temptations linger

the tired monk was a novice once
he remembers

17 comments:

  1. Interesting. I just finished reading Stevenson's, "The Body Snatcher" (after "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") it's all coming together here, strangely.

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  2. There's a big difference between the self-determined objective (finite) and the perfect one of the calling -- so many sigh "aw hell, I've done enough" and ditch the robes and dive back into the moronic inferno -- maybe those who stay with the call of the mild are the weakest, or have a history that is never quite their own. Anyway, amen. - Brendan

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  3. Monks aren't the only ones who remember. Some of us amateur nuns have a few squirmy memories of our own! Thanks for being part of FBF, Ollie.

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  4. Loved your poem as well as Fireblossom's comment! So true.

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  5. You have captured the fall from grace into the temptations of worldliness very well. I'm sure we can all identify in some measure, seems to go with the territory of growing up.

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  6. Everyone's a mix of saint and sinner...

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  7. "...bully fists...' that really describes the force of that addiction, and the whole poem is full of that wisdom we only learn, if we learn it, through experience. All novices once, and in some things, always will be, perhaps.

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  8. I always love your perspective - and your poems, Ollie.

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  9. Well said, well written and an enjoyable read.

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  10. temptations are life's little "tests" I suppose. Perhaps we will be "graded" on a curve. :)

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  11. I too remember it very well....nice one ~

    Have a good weekend ~

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  12. If we could resist temptation by the unaided will alone, we wouldn't have to pray about it, would we? I can so relate to that "slow slide" you mention.
    K

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  13. Oh temptation...I remember it well...nice work!

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  14. we're all only separated from being novices by a shadow. where do we choose to step?

    xo
    erin

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Thanks for helping with the development of Olsonomics.