Sacred Life Sunday: Songs and Doubts for Easter
is it enough
this story,
this ideal,
this wistful thing—
the teacher speaking soft in the garden,
mouthing my name,
warm-blooded and real.
when I grow tired of picking,
sorting fact from fiction,
lies like stones among the lentils,
truths as yellow bulbs among the rocks,
when I tire of this painstaking plucking
i hold instead,
one smooth egg
one round stone
one child, with chocolate on her mouth and songs on her tongue.
he is wisen, comes the lisp
he is wisen indeed!
tell me true things, i whisper,
my face held close,
warm against her neck.
she sings to me
an edict, a lullaby,
ubi caritas, maman,
ubi caritas et amor
ubi caritas, deus ibi est.
where there is charity, there is love
where there is love
there god is.
enough, i think,
to hold this egg
this stone
this child
enough, to say ‘amen.’
Entries
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:19 am
Wow, I loved this. It resonated very much with me this morning. Thank you.
March 23rd, 2008 at 7:58 am
This is simply lovely … and so perfect for today! Thank you for sharing.
Hugs and blessings,
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Did you write this? This is amazing. I love this more than *anything* I’ve read in such a long, long time. Beautiful.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Thank you so much, friends!
Yes, I did write this on Easter morning before we went to church. I miss the euphoric feeling I used to have on Easter, when I believed everything so fully and Christ felt so near.
On the other hand, I feel lighter now that I hold everything with a more gentle grip, and I know stuff is breaking off of me and out of me during this transformative time in my (mid-life!) faith development. I have fewer emotional/charismatic experiences in church, and more confidence in my life as follow of Jesus.
Lots going on still, in my religious world.
Much love and warmth to you this snowy Easter Monday.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Happy Easter Monday to you, too, Rachelle. I am reading this for the first time very late (was away on Sunday). When I reached the middle of the poem I thought, “Rachelle wrote this” — aha I’m right!.
Thank you, it so beautiful, so meaningful, one to be printed and re-read every year.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
As usual, you speak beauty and truth. Thank you.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Rachelle
Days past Easter I am catching up - I recognized your voice and spirit in this powerful and tender and wise poem. Lovely.
Truly
Kelly
October 15th, 2008 at 4:32 am
[...] managed to find an empty bench and a relatively peaceful moment. She huddled next to me as we sang Taize chants and the Kyrie in Latin under our breaths. As soon as we finished our short repertoire a [...]