Thou and I

by Philip Hess

Comrade! Remember in our youth,
We played upon the grassy slope
Behind the church, with boyish glee
Our football fierce, our jokes uncouth
Were we at odds in vision? Nope.
We dwelt not on theology,
Thou and I.

Our dads might not see eye to eye—
That never carried down to us.
Let paradigms of parents war
We rested firm in friendship’s tie
And in our fathers put our trust.
The toils and tears of heads of hoar
Dwelt not in us.

The sands of time flowed down the glass.
We woke to find our boyhood gone.
O Adolescence! Great our glee
When we into young manhood passed.
We had some squabbles, but anon,
Our football called distractingly;
We lived for life.

As years took wings, we hoisted flags
Above each one’s respective plot,
With frenzy built a wall between
’Til (out of sight) I packed my bags,
And hardly kenning what I sought,
Though folly many did it deem
I tracked His heart.

Could you but crouch upon the grass,
Fearless of straw men on the lea,
As quarterback, receive my pass
With former camaraderie,
Forgetting all our squabbles past
And rush toward goal and victory….

Philip Hess lives on Terra Firma, and is busy dashing between the cradle and the grave. His visage is not yet worthy of a photo, as it can only be seen as in a glass darkly.

Photography by Kenneth Godoy