You ain’t ugly, you can kiss me if you like
James K Baxter’s ‘Song to the Holy Spirit’:
Lord, Holy Spirit
You blow like the wind in a thousand paddocks
Inside and outside the fences
You blow where you wish to blowLord, Holy Spirit
You are the sun who shines on the little plant
You warm him gently, you give him life
You raise him up to become a tree with many leavesLord, Holy Spirit
You are the mother eagle with her young
Holding them in peace under your feathers
On the highest mountain you have built your nest
Above the valley, above the storms of the world
Where no hunter ever comesLord, Holy Spirit
You are the bright cloud in whom we hide
In whom we know already that the battle has been won
You bring us to our Brother Jesus
To rest our heads upon his shoulderLord, Holy Spirit
You are the kind fire who does not cease to burn
Consuming us with flames of love and peace
Driving us out like sparks to set the world on fireLord, Holy Spirit
In the love of friends you are building a new house,
Heaven is with us when you are with us
You are singing your song in the hearts of the poor
Guide us, wound us, heal us. Bring us to the Father
Today is International Volunteer Day. If it’s good enough for Che Guevera, it’s good enough for you. If you’re around here, Volunteer Wellington’s search page is a good place to start.
11 responses to “You ain’t ugly, you can kiss me if you like”
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Volunteer Day sounds good. However, Motorcycle Diaries films aside, Guevara may not have been such a good guy.
I think he was a mixed bag. I’ve read one biography of CG, and I disagree with points #1, #2, #3, #4, #7 and 10.
Yeah, I agree he’s probably a mixed bag. I just wonder when people over-glamourise him, like that film. I’m not sure you were, I was just throwing a spanner in the works. :-)
can i volunteer for kissing duty..?
oi! – no flirting online!
Huh, I like that poem. Might show it to my friend who didn’t like The Maori Jesus.
He didn’t like The Maori Jesus?! Let’s get this straight: James K. Baxter was not only a visionary, and a master poet, but one of NZ’s greatest artists. He’s awesome. I read his anthologies at least once a year.
D B McC: my grandmother is an artist in Wanganui & tells this great story about James K visiting one time when down from the commune and leaving the bath tub in a better state than when he arrived – scrubbing out the ring that my mum & her brothers had apparently grubbied up! So he sounds like a bone fide good bloke in later years, as well as a kiwi lit icon.
The Bartlett: don’t hate the playa…hate the game
which game and what are the rules ?
Bel, that’s such a good story. I wanna be like him when I grow up (minus the super cynicism he possessed maybe)
Hear that, 4b? Cleaning the bath makes you a good bloke! NOT leaving grease on the bottom.