I believe
for the time
and season lie
I know
by the prophecy
and present errand
we serve and lead
as though
as shalt
as if
easy
to believe
to suppose
to other
confront our day and time
the stinging path
escape the labors of the dead
abide the keys
accordingly it is my desire to lay
before us plain fact
like last days at the feet of the first
may I say
chance chooses every age
and foreordains foundations
may I take
more than mortal
by adoption
our revelations abound
relative to law
as it applies to specific
to special
to promised
to a lamb
all known and arranged
all planned and prepared
remain mortality
mysterious years
thin friends on the errand eternal
their abodes clay
a curtain drawn
our dominion and agency devised
by infinite degrees
hence comes doctrine
when come talents
obedience to Mozart and Melchizedek
mouths of violence
chosen
favored
wondrous
greater
a prophetic ear
Poet’s Notes:
This erasure poem utilizes words and phrases taken from the written text of Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s April 1974 General Conference address: God Foreordains His Prophets and His People. The poem should be read as an original piece rather than an abridgement of Elder McConkie’s sermon. This is the fifth poem in a series. To try another, read McConkie Erasure: April 1973. Reactions are welcome in the comment section.
For keys to drawing meaning out of poems like this, read the post Forget the Poet. Love the Poem
The featured image is called “The Last Prayer” by Henry Wolf, after a painting by Jean Léon Gérôme.
Wheat & Tares 
I like this line: “obedience to Mozart and Melchizedek” and have no idea what it means to me — or you.
BTW, and totally inconsistent with the idea of forgetting the poet, why is it that you’ve chosen to do this with McConkie’s rather than someone else’s speeches? (I always have to force myself to get past your titles. 🙂 )
Hi Wondering. Thanks for your response. Honestly, one of the first phrases I zeroed in on was Mozart and Melchizedek, It was mainly the poetic delight of the alliteration. Plus, I don’t think I’d ever seen those two names paired together. Elder McConkie puts them in the same paragraph. Erasure poetry allows me to move them even closer, onto the same line. And in doing that, I realize McConkie was on to something by comparing them. If I was writing an essay, I might start with the idea of calling Mozart the Melchizedek of composers. Or alternately, I could assert that Melchizedek was the Mozart of prophets. For me, putting them in the poem is about namedropping greatness, and then framing greatness as something we are told to be obedient to. Whether or not that’s a good thing…
Why use Elder McConkie for my erasure poetry? McConkie was an apostle right around the time I was born. Though I disagree with him a lot, I find him to be a bold and clear voice. I find him interesting, even when I don’t buy what he’s saying. Reading through all his conferences addresses in the last couple of years helped me gain a deeper understanding of the Mormonism into which I was born.
This is really fantastic. Thank you.