Today

Today
by John Butterfield



Between hope and despair is a nowhere place

where it is too soon for weeping

and too late for partying

and all is unsettled, uncertain, unclear.

And in this empty place

this place of waiting

there is, most strangely, a peace

a deep, deep, peace

that comes from the deep faith

that beyond all human understanding

somewhere amidst the uncertainty

God is at work.

And we, protected from the vast void of nothing

which is the possibilities of futures unborn,

we live and love and watch the flowers grow

in the unsentimental reality

that is the present moment.

Creed

by John Butterfield






I believe in God
the father almighty
most of the time
but sometimes
I wonder
what life would be like
if I didn't.

If there was no moral origin to the universe.
If there were no origin in love
and no destination in love
just a rabid struggle for supremacy
without rules
in the short years of life.

If we lived and accumulated
and bonked and fought
and hid and cried
knowing that nothing meant anything
and all was ephemeral floss.

If the big brother house
were the model for life
and the animal instincts
we have mostly civilised
became rampart serpents
in the evolutionary struggle
of not so sociable
social Darwinianism.

As we trudge onward
on our return journey
to the primal slime....

I'd prefer to believe in God!


(The image accompanying this entry is one of the series of engravings by William Blake illustrating the story of Job)

Love

Love just is
By John Butterfield

“I love you”
is a phrase that never
should be followed by “but” or “even if”

for if it does then it is not love

Love does not have pre-conditions
does not require exemptions
is not qualified

love just is
and being so
is enough

for love does not notice imperfection
love does not count faults
love transcends petty annoyances

so love is not easy
and love does not happen often

and if it does
treasure it
nurture it
keep it safe from harm

for though it is strong
like all living things
without care and attention
it will wither and die.

I love you
never with a “but” or an “even if”
for love just is.

Two options for making a baby with love

by John Butterfield

Option 1

I want a baby

I need some sperm

from tall athletic and intelligent guy - graduate of course

he loves donating

check internet availability

I need some eggs

from tall, blonde, musical and athletic girl: blue eyes

she loves college: being harvested pays the fees

check internet availability

I need a womb

non smoking home, good diet, no alcohol or drugs

she loves her family but needs to feed them

check internet availability

Then the waiting

cooking with the oven door closed

I have never loved waiting

can't think of a way to speed up this part

Then I'll take over

with my commissioned item delivered ready for use

I can give all the love in my heart

that I have stored up in welcome

* * * * *

Option 2

We loved and joined in love

made from love something small

that grew until it burst forth

through pain

to be loved

and love those who made her......

(inspired after attemding a lecture on neo-natal ethics!)

The big clear out...

by John Butterfield

And with the crud

exiting to the trashcan

go the remnants of my life:

bits and pieces of detritus

collected along the way

but now worthless

taking up space

clutter.

A new beginning.

A fresh start

requires a spring clean

a deep clean

getting to the roots

of all the old dirtiness

all the old messiness

and vacuuming it all away...

A bit like salvation really

as some would have you believe

a new beginning

a fresh start

and having cleared out the rubbish

of missed opportunities

of un-righted wrongs

and messed up relationships

the new day brings the possibility

of forgiveness

and a future

different to the past.....

Peter's wife

by John Butterfield



Simon Peter, first apostle, rock

foundation of the church

was a man with a mother in law

(so it says in the bible)

Who then was Peter's wife

who washed his clothes after he sank

trying to walk on water?

She who was left at home with the kids

while he went trailing around the countryside

following the dreamer of dreams

She whose mother was ill

and who persuaded Peter

if he needed any persuasion

to bring his healer friend

and heal her

If he was not fishing

where did she get money to

feed her inevitable brood of infants?

It is somewhat ironic

that the men who has since that time

claimed to sit in Peter's chair

have never had a wife!

Is that why she was erased from history!

Late night togetherness

Not a Jukebox

nor a band

nor excessive noise

but the soft sultry song

from a solo saxophone

slowly sighing.

Without conversation

having conversed well

and eaten too

we sit close together

comfortable

sipping fine wine

embraced and caressed

by the lilting tones

and each aware of the

tired contentment

in the others eyes.