Category Archives: Miscellaneous Commentary

And Wild Honey [Matthew 3:4]

The finger he crooked at soldiers who asked what must we do

The finger he would have used to loosen a lace had he thought himself worthy

The finger he pointed toward the Lamb and away from himself

The finger he shook in bloated Herod’s face saying no you may not

The finger he ran along the bars of his cell while waiting to get his answer

That finger blessed the bees drinking from desert flowers

That finger scoured the six wax sides of the cells of their combs

That finger now and then humbly accepted their stings

That finger turned orange with the bees’ orange honey

That finger was scented with honey: it smelled like honey all the time

The finger of John was sweet as the sweetness of God

Instructions to Ministering Angels [Mark 1:13]

The astringent is for his feet.
Clean the cuts, apply the salve,
wrap, then tie the ends.
No walking or climbing at all
for a whole day at least.

Here is bread, a pear, a flask.
Try to feed him something.
He won’t let you, I know;
he wants to be pure, but try.
He needs all his strength.

The new four-stringed kinura
is for you, the long flute too,
the drum and tambourine.
Play for him. He likes it,
as do jackals at night.

They all come then: the snake                                                       and scorpion, wolf and lion,                                                    slinking hyena and boar.
They crouch and coil on stubble
while he tries to pray.

If from zeal he will not touch
the meal we are sending,
you may set it out for them.
They will approach and eat.
When he sees that they shine

in the pale green light of stars,
he will feel more like himself.
The beauty of beasts will stir
the hunger of his flesh.
He will suffer then, and love.

The Lost Sheep [Luke 15:3-6]

I once was lost but now I’m found.                                                  Bumping along draped over his shoulders,
legs clasped at his neck like a brooch,
I feel like one of those ratty fox stoles                                                     your grandmother wore over                                                                     her good coat and pearls
when she went out in the afternoon
for lunch with the ladies.
He’s not wearing his good coat or pearls,                                           although like divers who go hand over hand                                      down weighted ropes to the bottom                                                        he knows how to find a pearl of great price.                                          No pearls, but with me draped around his neck
he said he feels all dressed up and, he told me,
we are going to a party.

 

After These Things [John 21:1-14]


After these things and so many more
you decide to go fishing.
You bring up disappointments only.
They thud on the boards,
unwilling to die.

It is hard these days to remember
that once, in the hour before dawn
when even whispers travel
clear and close across water,
you believed.

Your heart filled up like a net let down
on a slow-swimming school.
You hauled them in:                                                                                                 one hundred fifty-three fish.