Friday, April 10, 2009

Gethsemane

The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye
that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me.
But the disciples slept.
The cricket has such splendid fringe
on its feet,and it sings, have you noticed,
with its whole body,
and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me.
And maybe the stars did,
maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree,
and didn't move, maybe
the lake far away,
where once he walked as on a blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wild awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
keep that vigil, how they must have wept,
so utterly human, knowing this too
must be a part of the story.

Source: from Mary Oliver's book Thirst
Art: Praying at Gethsemane by He Qi

2 comments:

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Oh wow. This really captures it.

Jayne said...

Beautiful Roberta! Tonight, we'll have the Great Vigil at 9PM... I can't wait. :c) The light will return.