what is the gift of gospel-funk?
did the twelve hear horns in the ear
like a 120 instrument chorus
did you think this was an orchestra?
is the ghost-groan a gift of incorporation
fixing rices on the scheme of sanctification
like salvation in a k-mart package?
the spirit comes without instructions for assembly

this is
surgeon-general’s warning of
“no-way-to-anticipate-it” effect
a break-out of jubilation
on the tongue of mute child
the logic of laughter-belly
the jump of frozen-limb
the shout of deaf-mouth
the vision-explosion of blind eye
the collapse of consternation
the crash of shame
the size of flesh-on-the-rise
against every bullet of can’t
the final demise of helpless!

excerpt: tongues-talk (acts 2:1-35) by Jim Perkinson

painting by Raul Perdomo

Tags:fire tonguesholy spiritJim PerkinsonpentacostPoetryRaul Perdomo