The 60-Second Sabbath

Photography 5

I obsess
over one, sole, photographic subject;
of this alone I take pictures.

I just don't know what to call it:

    grace?
    stillness?
    Abba (Amma)?

The same, exact photo,
time after time,
every time,
every, single time,
like now...

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Photography 4

Yes,
this may look like a photograph of
    a purple iris,
    a fishing pier,
    a weathered door frame,
    a ripe strawberry,
    a rain-streaked window,

but really,
it's a picture of my soul.*

*fragile, hidden, generous, innocent, divine

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Photography 3

Today,
let a good photo
be your text
for prayer.

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Photography 2

I
[click]
take pictures
[click]
to meet
[click]
God.

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Photography 1

My camera
strips the veil
from the ordinary.

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Easter Prayer

Great Mystery,

let me die
to who I thought I was,
and be born
into what you long for.

Amen.

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

The Talk

I sit the three of them down on the couch,
my three demons:

    Ought,
    Should
    and Must.

They look at me expectantly.

"This morning," I say,
"I'm leaving you at home.
I know we've never tried this before,
but you're not coming to work with me,
not today."

    Ought's eyes grow wide;
    Should starts shaking;
    Must lets out a low growl.

"It's okay," I continue;
"There's plenty to do around here.
Maybe you could even follow your own advice
and do a few chores.
There's always ironing."

I didn't wait for an argument;
I grabbed my keys and left.

In the car,
from the back seat,
Sophia says,
"I am so proud of you."

Text and image © 2014 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.