Author Archives: jackpelham

“Plowing Around that Rock”: The Richest Metaphor in Sgt. York

I’m reminded this morning of a great scene in the movie, Sergeant York. I believe it has one of the richest metaphors ever to make it to the silver screen—the kind we could sit and ponder for an hour and … Continue reading

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The Way Forward or the Way Out?

Now I’ve got to tell you right up frontThat you’re going to need to sit downWhile you hear me out. There are standing up talksAnd there are sitting down talksAnd this is one of the latter kind. So let’s get … Continue reading

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The One Trainer

The one trainer swears up and downThat if you know his fitness secretYou can eat any food you likeHowever egregiousAnd that it will bring you no harm.

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After My Big Pushback

Because I trust you so muchI will risk to admit to you—Even after my big pushback To your suggestion from yesterday—The possibility that deep down in my heart—Beneath those often-traveled levelsWhere the words play outAnd the feelings are feltAnd the … Continue reading

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What Is It?

What is it—This new manna—This joy that comes Fresh with the morningExcept on the very darkest of days—Which I cannot explain—And gives me a nudgeTo start all over again—Even when I had run outThe night beforeAnd had little hope But … Continue reading

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The Most Remarkable Thing

Isn’t it the most remarkable thingThat one person might invite anotherTo come over and help Rearrange the furniture in his heart—

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Some Call it Foolhardy

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It Would Be a Sin

It would be a sinHe saysTo judge the churchesFor their dysfunction. It is not his placeHe saysBut God’sTo declare such opinions.

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To Believe That She Does

Whatever else one may make of it allThere is that ever-troubling factThat she does not in fact deserve The treatment she gets. And then there’s the worse fact stillWhich is that she will probably tendTo believe that she does.

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The Voices

There areTo be heardThe voices ofThe ShepherdOf the other SheepAnd of the ancient Wolf.And even so there are manyTo whom it never occursThat some distinctionOught to be madeBetween them.

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