Digital painting of Jayne Mansfield based on a publicity still

Strange Dream #09

Poetry, Strange Dreams, Surrealism

I roam the slums of a jungle;

It is hot and I am always thirsty.

I drink from the

fountain marked

Colored;

It’s magic quenches

my thirst.

At 3 AM savage

sophisticates

jabber and howl.

“Who do you love most,” asks God.

“Jayne Mansfield,” says Max.

“And why is that?” God is so cleverly all-knowing.

“She’s dead.” Max replies.

 

***

(c) Rob Goldstein 2015-2017 All Rights Reserved

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43 thoughts on “Strange Dream #09”

  1. Compelling as always, Rob. I like the graphic.
    I don’t suppose you were going for the reaction I had — but that’s the beauty of art.
    It really does seem that many (most?) find it easier to love the dead than the living… After death, suddenly, despicable were so noble… (eye roll). I have no problem speaking ill of the dead… but I’m just not wired right. 😀 Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Yes, catch the drift. You’re probably right about the “safe” part. I can see that.
        As for the understanding, that’s another beauty of art. We don’t always have to understand it to see the beauty in it, to be touched by it. More hugs.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. It’s odd…I can discuss the DID as a political issue but I can’t seem to fully wrap my mind around the reality of it.

        Max is there but I don’t know what he does…he may be a younger version of Matthew.

        His writing centers on his relationship to and with God.

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      4. Max struggles more to fathom God and is less articulate.

        That’s because he’s younger, perhaps in his 20’s.

        When six I my Father changed from Orthodox to Reform Judaism so we started going to the Beth Elohim Synagogue which was across the street from a Catholic Church. I was curious so went in,

        I was fascinated by the Crucifix and examined it closely.

        I could not fathom what anyone could have done to deserve such abuse. I felt a deep empathy for the man on that Cross.

        That was when I decided that I wanted to convert to Catholicism though it was not a feeling I could articulate.

        Now that I look back on it; entering that Church was a life changing event.

        Thank you for asking such a question.

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      7. Catholicism is a logical extension, sometimes that’s glorious and sometimes it is problematic. How is your theology on the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist? It’s all there but adherents to Judaism will say that we read into matters things that aren’t there. There is a book I can hunt out for you on the matter and you can judge for yourself.

        Liked by 1 person

      8. I see the Eucharist as consistent with the Jewish ritual of Passover Supper. The difference is that the symbolism attached to the food and objects that we use for symbolically replicating the events of the Passover are used in the Eucharist to replicate a new Passover in which the Christ is the lamb.

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      9. That is the way most Roman/orthodox view it – Christ is the last Passover Lamb ending the continuous requirements for sacrifice for sin. At one and the same time the new Covenant in his Blood was inaugurated by him when he said ‘This is the new covenant in my Blood’ and ‘do this in memory of me’ Since the Gospels were written after Paul it is his versions of Eucharist that we have firstly and do we know to what degree the Evangelists shaped their records to existing Church Practise?

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      10. You wrote: At one and the same time the new Covenant in his Blood was inaugurated by him when he said ‘This is the new covenant in my Blood’ and ‘do this in memory of me’ Since the Gospels were written after Paul it is his versions of Eucharist that we have firstly and do we know to what degree the Evangelists shaped their records to existing Church Practise?

        My reply: I want to study this before I answer. 🙂

        Thanks!…I love this kind of chat…

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      13. I spent two years in the process. When it became it was for the stated intention of joining the Franciscan Order so my conversion also included discernment.

        I interviewed with the Conventional Franciscans in San Pablo, went through the psychological screening and was accepted as a Novitiate.

        The approach to Church Doctrine included meeting three times a week with a spiritual guide. The most exercise was when I had to spend an hour each evening meditating on the cross.

        The goal was to see if I had any personal perceptions of what it
        meant.

        So I did…and I came to the conclusion that the cross represented the duality of human nature; the best of human nature crucified by the worst.

        By nature we are all reflections of the mercy of God.

        By nature we are animals.

        We always have a choice…

        When we confuse good with evil and instinct with that which is divine, we crucify ourselves and each other.

        Liked by 1 person

      14. What was their response? St francis said ““Nor did demons crucify Him; it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins. ” So we continue! St Francis seems to have liked St Paul as he often quotes him as also the Psalms and the Gospels.

        Yes, I like your Theology, how do you view “vicarious atonement or substitutionary Atonement in this scheme of things?

        Liked by 1 person

      15. I have a problem with Vicarious Atonement. It seems like an ‘escape clause’. Jesus died for our sins therefore we are sin free when we are baptized and accept Jesus as the Christ. Jesus was legally executed but legal is not the same as moral. Everything Hitler did was legal.

        Jesus was executed by corruption in the Temple and the immorality of human stupidity. When presented with the choice of a convicted murderer and the innocent Christ the ignorant people call for the execution of the Christ. Is the crowd ignorant because of lack of resources, or is it a willful ignorance brought on by the spite and predatory passions of the beast?

        How does one die for the sins of a people who refuse to control their worst instincts?

        I think that when it comes to taking personal responsibility for ones faith each of us must walk the path of Christ and shoulder the same burdens.

        This also means ridding ourselves of useful ignorance.

        I am open to being shown how I’ve misunderstood the idea of Vicarious Atonement.

        I know that St. Francis quotes Paul extensively but Paul seems off key to me.

        What I mean is that when I read Paul he does not sound as if he understands the radical acceptance and compassion that Jesus taught.

        If anything he introduces many of the ideas that form the foundation for the fundamentalism that prefers the judgmental Warrior God of the Old Testament to the compassionate God peace and mercy of the Gospel.

        Are they the same God? Yes.

        In my theology God evolves with us because he is a living God and all living things evolve.

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      21. Yes, it is profound and it made me think. How long was it before the “Government” upset your apple cart and you had to leave there? I was a member of the SFO – being already married and was asked to leave as I began my coming out process.

        Liked by 1 person

      22. I wasn’t asked to leave.

        I didn’t know I had DID.

        Matthew probably does have a calling.

        A week before moving into the friary we had a switch…to Matt, which is probably just another name for Bob.

        But I don’t really know yet.

        Liked by 1 person

      24. Prior to 2012 there was bewilderment over what happened. The switch was sudden and lasted for almost two years. Aside from faith, the other reason for joining the Franciscans was his mission to educate children in disadvantaged areas in the U.S.

        It’s rather shocking that a nation as advanced as the United States has a government that goes out of its way to deprive its children of food and education. But he eventually compensated for it by going to work for the public mental health system.

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