"Johnny"

I saw him there once more – it’s been a while –
He’s come to mind a lot – I liked his style –
Like me, he’d soaked himself deep in the text
And covered Scripture’s pages – like a test –

Or was it “for” the test they gave to us?
I doubt it – it takes less to pass, because
We all were different people training there
To work in churches exercising care.

So they went easy on each student there,
Ensuring we engaged some deeper layer
Within some sector-focus of the team;
With paper-trail depicting where we’d been.

For Johnny, it was Scripture text itself;
He’d asked (I guess), “What is this for myself?”
Then jotted notes across each printed page –
The meanings of God’s word from age to age.

Then Johnny went to other types of task –
A feed-back host I heard – but did not ask
Him when we met – art gallery I knew
Was what he did to live – First Nations’ view.

They’d moved – surprised I was to see it to there;
I walked around, saw bins where, layer on layer,
First Nations’ art expressed the hopes and fears
Of people I had known down through the years.

And then his voice reached out, my camera seen;
He asked if I to Churchill yet had been;
We chatted, then I asked him for his name;
Reluctantly he spoke – connections came.

We’ll talk again – for art, First Nations style
Is close to us, although it’s been a while
Since I have walked those trails, yet it has been
A precious part of life which I have seen.

Lord, as we move ahead throughout these days
Where art and artist walk, art seldom pays
Its way, so “starving artist” is the norm;
Help all rise up above the path that’s worn.

They left the Zeitgeist train one stop before
Our station – “Church Renewal” was ours, more;
While one that followed us was “Sex” and such,
His was “Prophetic Word To World” to touch –

Established institutions, for the poor,
And those out on the margins – I am sure –
For those men touched my life – it was not “me” –
But insights which they shared helped me to see.

I started where they stopped the Zeitgeist train,
Got off, dug in – the world’s not been the same
Since he, and Wiggy; Paul, Rob, Cam, and Bob,
Engaged in life – each did their different jobs.

And now? I sense he’s at road’s turning point –
“The vision which I’ve lived – did God anointed
It with effect in lives that touched my heart
Enough to represent each artist’s art?”

We all have doubts like that and end of day,
As we surrender part in life we played;
Lord, for this man I thank You for the way
He gave to native art it’s far out day.

Thanks Lord for this.

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