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Dirty Laundry

Paul Lake

The town’s dilapidated LaundromatIs packed this morning with a crowd of menAnd women, hauling bulky laundry sacks—A full month’s worth, in fact. It’s Saturday,The last one of the month,...

Hearing Voices

Paul Lake

When Saul of Tarsus lost his sightAlong the hot Damascus roadAnd heard the resurrected ChristCry out his name, Saul, Saul, why doYou persecute me?          ...

Saving Jesus

Paul Lake

“BrickHouse Security saves Jesus for 8th year in a row, offers free GPS tracking of nativity scenes and holiday displays.” Somehow escaping The sharp eye Of angels, shepherds, And...

Thumblings

Paul Lake

Far more than Once Upon a Time, A lonely would-be single-mom Wished for a child, and one soon came, Not in the usual way”but sprung From golden seed of...

The Ballroom of Heaven

Paul Lake

As a Boy Scout, Dad decoded The dit-dit-dahs of Morse, the swashed flags Of semaphore, bugled “Taps.” At war’s end, trumpeted jazz, Sported a dashing Errol Flynn mustache, Drove...

At Stake

Paul Lake

Brave luminaries, Jan Hus and William Tyndale, Were made to glow like scrolling leaves on Kindle, Snuffed out like candles and condemned to night For bringing Christ’s free gift...

The Republic of Virtue

Paul Lake

In Year One, the month of Vintage , time began. Fog hovered above the earth, like an emanation Of spirits underground. The scents of rose water Sprinkled on sawdust,...

The Resurrection of the Body

Paul Lake

A neighbor passing by the widow’s house Stopped dead on seeing him in the garage Behind the wheel of his new Lincoln, slouched Half toward the dashboard, as if...

Three Holidays in One Afternoon

Paul Lake

A bloody handprint on a windowpane Beneath which, blood-scrawled letters spell Beware. Across the street, a pumpkin with straw hair Gathers his seedy thoughts like Harvest grain. Then, like...

Herod’s Confusion

Paul Lake

As her dance dissolves and smiling Salome Sashays across the floor in smoky veils To join her scheming mother, Herod sighs, Seeing how foolishly he’s just behaved” Losing his...

A Lesson in Hermeneutics

Paul Lake

In Kenya, vervet monkeys take the ground Until a sentry gives a chattering bark, Which in the simple vervet lexicon Means snake , and connotes evil , death ,...