"Wheels Turning Inward" is a is a rich collection of over fifty poems, following a poet’s mythic and spiritual journey that crosses easily onto the paths of many contemplative traditions. The artwork at the top of this page, is one image found in the Gordon Moore Memorial stain glass window at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, by the artist Kim Clark Renteria. The image of these three circles, is emblematic of both the Trinity and the title for this new collection of poetry now available from Friesen Press.





Sunday, January 31, 2010

Trinity Jazz Fest


Trinity Jazz,
I know you’ve heard that
some like it hot, and some like it cool.
But, how do you like your jazz?




Can you imagine it at all,
as Hot, Cool, and Holy too?




Another Trinity of sorts,
where the music sends and
lifts you to jazzy
states, sublime in the divine.




Can you imagine J.C. on piano or
tenor sax, transcendent, banging and blowing out
the clearest and cleanest notes
you ever heard?




With the Archangel Gabriel,
trumpet in hand, snapping his fingers and
cheering him on, saying “blow Jesus blow,”
sounding out notes, both high and low.




This is no prelude to the
last judgment I’ll gladly say,
but rather a celebration and an awakening,
a call to holiness and to life here and now.




This is a prayer, a mighty invocation of the Holy Spirit
who comes dancing through the air
and spinning into our ears, setting the
hearts of God’s chosen people a flame.




Here is salvation and enlightenment,
wrapped up in each single note
blowing through the sanctity
of the human spirit, tuning up our souls.




Here is a voice to set us on
fire, a personal Pentecost
if you will, from which we are moved
to transform the world.




Here is God, stretching out arms
so wide and loving, gathering and embracing
us all into one musical arrangement, in a sacrament
of spirit and sound.


 
A blessing of blessings in every note.




Ron Starbuck
Copyright 2010