Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Three Gardens for Ash Wednesday


Here in the garden
The place man meets with God,
Where the trees hang heavy with destiny,
The birds are silent with wonder,
And the little creatures come,
Bringing peace,
And the truth is not evaded.

Two trees:
What are two among so many,
In the place God walks with man?
In the dew-clad silence,
Heavy with fruit-scent,
Where the serpent flaunts,
Creation waits
Breathless,
For the wrong choice to be made.
And a river of tears flows forth to flood the world.

The silent bells toll out man’s dreadful doom.

Another garden,
Gloomed with twisted olives,
Many trees to shelter
The man who’ll hang on one,
Writhing in such prayer.
The little creatures wait,
Deep in the silent shadows.
Watching the breathless moment
When love embraces death.

The hushed bells whisper of man’s dawning hope

Only one tree
In that final garden
Where all the trees are one,
Where blood is wine,
Life unquenchable flows,
The very leaves
Are healing for the world;
Here bride and bridegroom walk
In wondering joy
Forever.

And bells and trumpets ring man’s hope fulfilled.


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