“Boreas” by The Oh Hellos (from Boreas)

by Tyler Dirks

With my back on the floorCold linoleum icing my growing painsWatch the ceiling fan turn its shape againMy threads are coming looseYeah, I’m one spoon awayFrom setting the ends of my hair on fireIf I’m kindling for a little whileAt least I’d feel of use Maybe then my breath could embodyA wildfire startingI’d sweep up […]

“Rose” by The Oh Hellos (from Boreas)

by Tyler Dirks

Wars are raising for herCrusades to adore herThe light of your afterword Are you losing her true natureWhen you loosen nomenclatureWhen you gift another moniker? What’s true is like a sickleIt’ll cut you to the middleYour rose is without a thorn But no, my mouth don’t taste of metalFrom the pot here to the kettleI […]

Mercy

by Tyler Dirks

The prophet Habakkuk & the author Flannery ‘O Connor have a lot in common… They were both deeply distraught about the tartufferie of God’s people. Violently they cried out against the violence of the sanctimonious societies surrounding them. They pummeled God with questions. Questions like, “How long shall you make me see consumeristic corruption in […]

Subversively Living With The Philistines

by Tyler Dirks

In my morning meeting with The Boss He said, “A bunch of stouthearted fellows came to help David when he was subversively living with the Philistines! These guys had faces of lions, and they were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. There were even 3,000 dudes from the tribe of Benjamin who defected from Saul’s […]

PTTPP&“H”TK

by Tyler Dirks

The following is an imagined conversation between David and someone trying to play “peacemaker” and “honor” the king. PTTPP&“H”TK:[1] “Are you gonna accept the king’s invitation to move back to Gibeah and resume your duties as commander and court musician?” David: “No.” PTTPP&“H”TK: “Well, king Saul has done some really good things, and I think […]

PTTPP&“H”THP

by Tyler Dirks

The following is an imagined conversation between Nehemiah and someone trying to play “peacemaker” and “honor” the high priest. PTTPP&“H”THP:[1] “How was your trip?” Nehemiah: “Business as usual.” PTTPP&“H”THP: “What are you gonna do now that you’re back in town?” Nehemiah: “I’m going to deal with this Tobiah problem.” PTTPP&“H”THP: “I don’t think that’s a […]