Week 4 of Lockdown – Poems

 Anne Powell

 

 

Easter

 

This Easter we weep among trees

at the tomb’s entrance.

Autumn heralds the divesting of leaves

that clutch at our hearts.

Angels might cloud the tomb’s entrance yet.

Everyone has a silver lining.

This is the wisdom of trees.

 

 

New Day

 

I know the quiet spaces between leaves

and which tree yields

its night shade

to the first light.

 

The early wind

conducting the pines I know

and the enthusiasm of magpies          

at a new day.

 

I know the mist unveiling the lake

and the morning’s first

confetti of blossom.

 

Why can’t I hold this

dawning grace in my heart

all the long day?

 

 

The water minds   (Mark 4:38)

 

This summer in Galilee                                                       

the water level is on

everyone’s mind.

Even the water minds.

It is so low that

its secrets will show

like ankles under the robes of Arabs.         

It is so low that

its waves tremble

with the effort of remembering

one man drowsing on

a cluster of cushions

once in the bow of a boat.

 

 

The difference- COVID -19

 

This Holy Thursday

we re-set the table.

Why is this night different

from other nights

ask the children.

 

We are in lockdown.

We re-set the table.

We gather babies and old ones.

Around the world

so many empty chairs.

 

Around the table

are the small gestures of kindness.

There is receiving and

there is giving.

We break the bread.

Lamb and wild herbs are our memories.

Salt is shaking us

up in this strange season.

 

We re-set the table where

all our stories belong.

 

 

Blessing

 

May the drift of river carry you

and the sandbank not block your journey.

May the ripening flax flower strengthen you   

and the breeze in the grass gentle you.

May the quiet river sing you peace.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodness

 

Goodness has oo inside it.

It can catch my breath and whisk me away.

The oo can open me to “aha” moments~

points of stillness, holy drama

or ordinariness

when the God in Go(o)dness leaps into the world   

again and again.

 

The rhythm of goodness

beats at the heart of the door of the world.

 

The rhythm of goodness

smiles

moves

graces places

and I move with its easy air.

 

 

 

Walking the earth

 

I make the encircling

ripple of water

elegance of dawn              

blush of rose

stirring of day

 

I make the encircling            

quiet of earth           

glow of candle

rhythm of pulse

stillness of night

 

I make the encircling

green of Spirit

heart of God

presence of Christ

wellspring of life