The Call

By Clifton Holt Jolley

His life fell in between it

Like pages slipped between a couch and wall,

And, hidden, he was left to wonder

At Lehi, Gideon, Alma,

And, staring, marvel at the gift of Paul

Who saw his congregations sifted

In a sieve too broad to hold them

And yet, withal,

Spoke “Alleluia” to the gospel.

This is what it meant to “missionary”:

“… go forth and speak with the trump of God,

With a voice to shake the earth,

And cry repentance unto every people!”

And, from in between the pages of his being,

He could tell

That this was what it meant

To missionary still.