We know he was a man because, once doomed, ---he begged for reprieve. See him grieving on his rock under olive trees, ---his companions asleep on the hard ground around him ---wrapped in old hides. Not one stayed awake as he'd asked. ---That went through him like a sword. He wished with all his being to stay ---but gave up bargaining at the sky. He knew ---it was all mercy anyhow, unearned as breath. The Father couldn't intervene, ---though that gaze was never not rapt, a mantle around him. This ---was our doing, our death. The dark prince had poured the vial of poison ---into the betrayer's ear, and it was done. Around the oasis where Jesus wept, ---the cracked earth radiated out for miles. In the green center, Jesus prayed for the pardon ---of Judas, who was approaching with soldiers, glancing up—as Christ was—into ---the punctured sky till his neck bones ached. Here is his tear-riven face come ---to press a kiss on his brother.
3 comments:
indeed.
"Descending Theology: The Garden" by Mary Karr from Sinners Welcome: Poems. © Harper Collins Publishers. Reprinted with permission.
Descending Theology: The Garden
We know he was a man because, once doomed,
---he begged for reprieve. See him
grieving on his rock under olive trees,
---his companions asleep
on the hard ground around him
---wrapped in old hides.
Not one stayed awake as he'd asked.
---That went through him like a sword.
He wished with all his being to stay
---but gave up
bargaining at the sky. He knew
---it was all mercy anyhow,
unearned as breath. The Father couldn't intervene,
---though that gaze was never
not rapt, a mantle around him. This
---was our doing, our death.
The dark prince had poured the vial of poison
---into the betrayer's ear,
and it was done. Around the oasis where Jesus wept,
---the cracked earth radiated out for miles.
In the green center, Jesus prayed for the pardon
---of Judas, who was approaching
with soldiers, glancing up—as Christ was—into
---the punctured sky till his neck bones
ached. Here is his tear-riven face come
---to press a kiss on his brother.
amen, church!
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