An ode to Anselm

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Dear Monty,

Anselm Kiefer www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/anselm-kiefer? wanted to be Jesus - this was his ambition as a Catholic boy growing up in the bombed out streets of post war Germany. Later he realised that he couldn't be Jesus - none of us can.
He struggled with his and our inconsistencies - he saw the two sides of ourselves.


The burning burns into my head 
A sickening blackness
Sometimes a bright furious flame
Flames of passion
Or a dull smouldering
Ash that fills nostrils and mouth
Smothering
And dulling thoughts to a numb sleep.




Creativity bursts out
God speaks
A voice from inside 
One that I hardly recognise

The start was explosive
The void occupied with matter
That cooled and cools still
'The wise understand the destruction'
'The power of the holy people will be broken'

The cooling of the core
The turning of years
The degradation of life

Wars are inevitable
We struggle to maintain boundaries
Overwhelmed
Like decaying seedheads overwhelmed by frost, rain and wind
A whirlwind will take us up
The earth and all that there is therein
And all the people said - Amen.





Christ was meant to be the first fruits from among the dead - an offering of light from darkness.

It was never meant to have its complete fulfilment now - this was a future promise, a hope fixed in Christ in love, forgiveness and encouragement. Outside of that we are just left with our inconsistency.

We are left with hope - we can still sense it in the light that illuminates.

I live in this 'lovely ugly town' - the reality is intrusive noise from trial bikes on the tip - and the beauty in the colours of winter - and hope in the maturing.










Paul.

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