Liz Cooledge Jenkins

Tag: violence

  • Fourth grade child, crucified

    Processing the grief and horror of the school shooting in Uvalde, TX with a poem. God, have mercy. Fourth Grade Child, Crucified Fourth grade child on the cross, you did not choose this. There is nothing in you nor your family, friends, or schoolmates that deserved this. All forever changed without consent. Where was Christ…

  • Super chill book review part 2: All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep (Andre Henry)

    As promised—and eagerly awaited, I’m sure!—this is the second part of a super chill book review of Andre Henry’s All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep. (The first part is chillin over here if you didn’t catch it before.)  Here are a few more quotes and thoughts. 4) On the language of “can’t”: “That was…

  • Prayer: prepare

    I wrote this prayer back in Advent, but it feels about right for the last week or so. Grieving for and with those most impacted by violence, by power moving through our world in perverse ways. The original Advent prompt word was “prepare.” Prepare God, the weight of the world is still here. I know…

  • How (Not) to Lay Down One’s Life: A short sermon on John 10:11-18

    (11) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd places his life on behalf of the sheep. (12) The wage-worker, even, who is not the shepherd, of whom the sheep are not (his) own, beholds the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees – and the wolf seizes them and scatters (them) – (13)…

  • Place of Manna, Place of Silence (a Good Friday poem)

    This poem sits somewhere at the intersection of Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday, and George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Derek Chauvin, and the reflective wilderness-themed space currently set up in the sanctuary at my church. Place of Manna, Place of Silence Wilderness spaces forlorn places take a rock  and toss it in the…

  • Always Reforming: a short sermon on Luke 6:1-16

    I’m thankful to have had another opportunity to give a short sermon at my church, Lake Burien Presbyterian Church (aka “Lake B”). If you prefer a video version, here’s the church service. My part starts around 35:14, but David (before) and Miguel (after) are very much worth listening to if you have a few minutes.…

  • Solvitur Ambulando

    My mom introduced me to this phrase recently, and I liked it (even though it’s not Greek), so I wrote a poem about it. Solvitur Ambulando Solvitur ambulando it is solved by walking so we walked  and walked  and walked  until we found a better way. We walked until the blood that paved our streets…

  • Poker, Prodder

    Keeping with the theme of the recent Christian celebration of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, juxtaposed with this reality we find ourselves in: Poker, Prodder Holy Spirit, poker, prodder,  discomforter of unjust  horror-filled structures and disquieter of all who profit from them, table-turner of the wrongly weighted scales that weigh color and find darkness wanting,…

  • I Do Not Wish to Perform My Grief

    A poem reflecting on George Floyd’s murder, the subsequent protests, and my hope to stand in solidarity with my Black siblings in their weariness, grief, and anger. I Do Not Wish to Perform My Grief I do not wish to perform my grief as if it could be part of a persona crafted carefully to…

  • John and the Military

    Soldiers also asked John, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” (Luke 3:14) In yesterday’s post I reflected a bit on how John the Baptist’s words to soldiers might relate to present-day law enforcement. Today…