Author Archives: jackpelham

He chalked up to mystery some thingsThat might otherwise have been solved,Even as he considered solved some thingsThat God had intended still to be mysteries.

Whoever shall we blameWhen the neglect and cheatingWe have been thus far content to tolerate Have grown insufferable and Too big to ignore?

He was not friendly,And I am left to decideWhat to make of that fact―Whether he is never friendly,Or whether it was just today―And whether it was his specificResponse to me, or whether it hadNothing whatsoever to do with me at … Continue reading →

That church of yours has sure got A strong conviction about how the womenNeed to submit to the men.It’s as if that conviction were God-powered―Set on fire by the Spirit of God himself,And burning bright within your souls,Always to be … Continue reading →

People are messy, and once you’ve got some years under your belt, it’s really not all that hard to find some fault in what they say or do, in their attitudes or beliefs about things. If you pay much attention … Continue reading →

All that suffering in your lifeAt the hands of imperfect people,And you decided you’d had enough―That love just wasn’t worth itIf there was going to be any furtherChance of pain.

I saw this meme posted on Facebook and what follows is my response. The meme seems to presuppose that people are either 100% real or 100% fake, when in actuality, we are a mixed bag—maybe 100% real about this, but … Continue reading →

Before the kettle whistles,Disturbing everyone in the house,He lets out whispersThat a keen attendant may hear―And spare everyone the interruption.

He had gotten to where he wasBy putting out of his mind so farThat stupidest of presuppositions―That he had more or less arrived alreadyAt where he needed to be.

I don’t mean to be salty about it, butIt is difficult to explain what took me twenty years Of study, contemplation, and debate to understand―Such that it is impossible for you to dismiss it In your twenty seconds of noticing … Continue reading →