Richard Russeth, a member of HFASS is a rather remarkable man for many reasons, one of which is his poetic chops.
on being denied the eucharist (for r. pater)
when prophets are denied,
as they so often are,
they shake the dust from their sandals
and board when their rows are called.
watching from your plane, you see
the mountains shepherd the sunset into darkness.
lightning drives cracks into the midnight sky.
just for a moment the vast forest
is there -
a revelation
followed by thunder that rolls away
like a resurrection.
when a wind comes hurling accusations
against your plane, the trees huddled
on the mountainside suddenly seem
alarmingly close.
in denver, brushing tears
from your eyes, you exit the plane, and
discover you were never in
any real danger after all
for in a room at the airport,
in a gathering of two or three,
the bread and wine are
freely given to you
so that the darkness is pierced,
and through this wound in the sky,
the moon rises.
Amen.
Posted by: Rachel | June 15, 2009 at 07:31 AM
Superb poem.
Posted by: Mac | June 15, 2009 at 11:38 AM
What a beautiful poem. The moon in some traditions has much meaning spiritually for women and so the last two lines "and through this wound in the sky the moon rises" are particularly poignant.
Posted by: Janet L. Bohren | June 16, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Amen - what a beautiful reflection on such a heart-wrenching experience.
Posted by: Scott | June 19, 2009 at 07:28 PM
Very beautiful and insightful poem! there are people that can see poetry in every simple things...
Posted by: Phaina Amour | June 25, 2009 at 02:08 AM
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Posted by: Commoncontrol | December 08, 2009 at 04:01 AM