"Adoration"

“Adoration”

I used

to go

to overnight

Adoration

God’s Loving Presence

has no end

God’s Loving Presence

exposed to

faithful adorers

God’s Loving Presence

caring for all

of our intentions

God is always Faithful

And so His followers try to be as well

-- Mark Hanley, April 24, 2018

"Forgiven"

“Forgiven”

I am forgiven

I am free

I am a child of God

God loves me

And, I love Him

He knows

My heart

Better

Than anyone

Dismas

-- Mark Hanley, April 24, 2018

"Even the Universe Has Insecurities"

“Even the Universe Has Insecurities”

He spat

Surreptitiously

behind the podium

of nothingness

He looked out on

his somber

audience

And contemplated

quantum theory

He took one more

drag of his nicotine

concoction

A drag

Transformed his ideations

Into a flock of

starlings

He flew

To the outer edges

of the Cosmos

He realized

that even the Universe

has insecurities

And he slept

No dreams

Just rest.

-- Mark Hanley, Jan. 23, 2013

"Sustain, Remain, Suffice"

“Sustain, Remain, Suffice”

Edifices of fire-red brick

Structures with spires jutting heavenbound

Altars of marble

Devotees to the left

Fanatics to the right

Arguing about the merits and faults of the ambidextrious

Words spoken garbled

Utterings uttered softly lest you offend

Syllables, Sounds, Phonics in an odd Symphony

And yet, God remains

And yet, God sustains

And yet, God suffices

The droves of humankind

Packed in pews

The squirming in the seat

From serpentine sermons

The complexities and complexes

On the way to the Eucharist

The Word

The Body

The Blood

Sustain

Remain

Suffice

Amen.

-- Mark Hanley, April 24, 2018

"St. Pat's"

“St. Pat’s”

A beautiful

Irish church

In the heart

of Cedar Rapids

God’s Love

Expressed

in Mass

in Adoration

in Missions

Not even

a flood

could take

away God’s Loving Presence

A rebuilt parish

A rebuilt community

A rebuilt Love for God.

-- Mark Hanley, April 19, 2018

"She bought a Honda"

“She bought a Honda”

jeep.

four wheels

new tires

4wd doesn’t     work

over 300,000 miles

mostly highway

bought it from my dad

who bought it from

my aunt Cindy

She bought a Honda.

-- Mark Hanley, March 31, 2018

"Sick and tired"

“Sick and tired”

I’m sick

and tired

of being sick

and tired

I know

you would

understand

Grandma

You suffered

too

I heard you

hack

I saw you

cry

Dismas

-- Mark Hanley, March 30, 2018