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