Hi all,

This week is spring break but I’m still writing (just not on days when I would have had a class . . . that was converted to sleep time).

I “finished” (as finished as a 1st draft can get) a new poem done in a form I’m not that use to yet. I basically wrote a Found Poem; a poem where the text does not originate from the poet. Instead, the text is found and then rearranged to bring about new meaning, context, clarity or what-have-you to the words themselves. Think of it as collage for poets who have having a hard time dealing with the deadly blank page.

The poem itself is tentatively called Golgotha. I recently was praying the rosary for friends, family, and Japan when I came across the word. For the life of me I had no idea why it mattered that Jesus is said to be crucified at Golgotha, nor did I know where the place was. So I hit the Wikipedia pages and found some text that was ripe for poetry. A bit of cutting here, some rearranging there, and vola! A new poem.

The poem is actually addressed to other believers in Christ who may not be in touch with Him in the way that counts. You see, over the last, oh say, 10 years anyone who believed in God has been lumped with extremist who believe that what is written is verbatim what God meant. However, this is not true.

Language is ever-changing, so how can the words that have been largely mistranslated from the get-go be the direct words of God?

Conversely, what is so amazing about language is that as it evolves (and is allowed it) the root meaning can still be gathered in some way.

Why does Golgotha lead to the skull?

What is the significance that Jesus died at a place called the skull?

Is it simply further Christian critics against inquiry or is it something more?

Why does it matter that Helen of Troy may or may not have named the place in the first place?

Why is Golgotha in reality flat like a plain but in the Bible round like a skull?

My poem begins to (very roughly) address these questions.

It is my belief that to believe blindly is to not believe at all. You must go through the valley of the shadow of doubt and come out of it with your faith intact after seeing all that this world has to offer through language, science, history, animals, plants, biospheres, and ultimately each other.

It is hard to be Christian in today’s world where the very history of Christian Warfare is attached to each King James translation. However, it is my hope that someday everyone will focus on the root that connects all beliefs and that is simply one large truth:

We humans need one another.

This need should be enough to begin to settle differences. I may be naive to believe this, but at the end of the day I at least have this hope, this faith.

And to all my non-Christian friends and loved-ones: that you for respecting my beliefs and helping me grow as a person. I could not have gone half as far without you.

Peace, love, and pancakes,

Rose