Tag Archives: University of Illinois

Verses – Peter Michalove

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Two Acrostics

Peter, like many Arts Ph. D.s,
Entered the work-force, but could not find
The right music composition place.
Earning money for his brand new bride
Required taking a job at the school.

Music would be heard for 30 years
Instead of written. But then a real
Creative time in retirement days.
He wrote music, heard it played, but when
Aggressive cancer hit him he had
Little strength left to compose. The pain
Overcame the music in his head.
Valiantly he taught others to hear,
Even laughing, having music near.

— — — —

Perhaps it was hallucination,
Even a vision, but a guy named
Tom showed up the last hours the patient
Endured the cancer. Ghostly Tom claimed
Right after death we all will get a preview

Making clear what the afterlife will be.
If people wish, they enter in–but few do
Choose that life, “Been there, done that!” they say.
How can more years, even if pain-free
Atone for dying young and leaving
Loved ones, music, teaching, history
Of stamps… The time would be spent grieving.
Very plain spoken always, he said:
Everlasting sleep I choose instead.

– Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL, December 12, 2013

Dr. Peter Michalove, who died last week, was a career Business Manager for several academic departments at the University of Illinois, where he had received his Doctorate of Musical Arts in composition.

In retirement, music he wrote was played and appreciated (see “Peter Michalove” on YouTube).

Chemotherapy fatigue eventually made writing music impossible, but Peter taught music classes to other retirees at the University, to enthusiastic applause. He has written about music and cancer: http://petermichalovecomposer.com

Roger Ebert Acrostic

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MOVIE LOVER
(Acrostic)

Responding quickly to a word

Or face, or plot or place… seeing

Gladly signs of wit, insight and

Even truth… in the dark writing

Relentlessly for all who read…

…

Ever hoping goodness will win

Before greed drags it down… helping

Everyone see beauty in one

Rosebud film frame… celebrating

The movies… overlooking none.

– Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL, April 3, 2013

NOTE: Film critic Roger Ebert and Steve Shoemaker were friends.. Steve is a great admirer. The Ebert Film Festival at the University of Illinois has long been one of the highlights of Steve’s year. He has often spoken of the magnificent way Roger continued to review the films and “chat” with Festival attendees by means of his computer after he could speak no longer with his resonant voice.

Ashes

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On our campus the Priests go where
the students are, so ashes were
imposed right on the Quad as Lent
began. Fat Tuesday was last night,
…
and at the bars we danced and drank
and some hooked-up, so that we stank
of booze and sweat (and worse) if we
slept through our shower-time. Did we
…
imagine penance washed our souls
clean after pushing homeless men
aside on our way home? Or that
…
the school kids we ignored were fools
beyond all help? Forget that when
we failed third grade, some set us right?
…
Perhaps the filthy cross we see
in mirrors all day above our eyes
shows hearts we seldom recognize.

– A Verse by Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, Illinois, Feb. 20, 2013.

NOTE: The university is the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana
where Steve still walks the mall after many years as a campus
minister with The McKinley Church and Foundation and as Executive
Director of the Campus Y.

“The Book”

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“Dump and Run,” a verse posted here yesterday about a recycling program at the University of Illinois, was inspired by a student recycling program of the University YMCA. Today Steve follows it up with another experience from his years as Executive Director at the University Y.

Verse  —  The Book

The author, Richard Powers, said he would

not sign the book he wrote because he felt

all books were sacred objects.  But, he could,

to help the campus Y, compose a note

explaining this, sign that, and we could sell

them both  at our grand charity auction.

I owned his first book (can one own a holy

thing?) and all the rest, including one

that claimed a national award.  I told

the staff I would not give them up.  We bought,

on-line, a first edition, “Mint,” and sold

it to the richest person there.  He caught

the spirit, made an altar…when he needs

a god, he lights a candle and he reads.

– Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL

altar candles

 

Christ after the Flagellation

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This morning Steve Shoemaker sent me his poem (see below this painting, “Christ after the Flagellation“) by Murillo. The “comments” below are a running conversation.  Chime in.

Christ after the Flagellation

The human had been tied to the whipping

post, a pillar that had been used many

times before by the Romans (and ages

earlier by the Greeks–but for a much

different purpose). Now, his pale skin looks

translucent (should it not have been darker,

with more blood?) His mother recalled his bris.

They had both cried then, too.

A strong young man, broad back, thick arms, now on

hands and knees, but head raised with eyes open:

seeing a cross that’s even worse ahead…

Still, unflinching, resigned–no, determined

to go on, face more pain, indignities,

shame, even death (there is no sign of God.)

Steve was a classmate at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. We’ve been friends for 47 years. A published poet, Steve was the Senior Minister of the McKinley Presbyterian Church and Director of the McKinley Foundation (campus ministry) at the University of Illinois for many years. He hosts “Keepin’ the Faith” on WILL, Illinois Public Radio, and lives in a geothermally-heated house on the prairie outside Urbana, IL where his neighbors often spot his kites riding the winds of the prairie skies.