Incarnation

One of my classes this term had an artistic component - we had to engage the question that Jesus asks of Peter in the gospels, "Who do you say that I am?" using whatever artistic medium we wanted.  I handed in a short collection of poetry presenting a variety of images for Jesus Christ, and came to the conclusion that "Jesus Christ is more than the sum of the metaphors."

I will be sharing some of these short poems on this blog over the next little bit.  Here is one of my favourites:

Incarnation

How many nights now?

            five?

            thirteen?

            eighty-three?

How long has it been since you slept?

            since I slept?

This red-faced screaming ball of humanity

            who has taken over my home

                                            my heart

                                            my life.

Why won’t you stop crying?

You aren’t hungry.

You aren’t wet.

You aren’t in pain.

Why can’t I soothe you?

I don’t know what I’m doing.

Where is your Owner’s Operating Manual?

Those angels and shepherds and magi,

            they were so eager to visit you

                        when you were born.

            Where are they now?

                        now that there are diapers to change.

                        now that there is laundry to do.

                        now that there are mouths to feed.

They sang of Peace on Earth.

How can there be Peace on Earth

            when there can’t even be

                        peace in this home?

Your tears are never going to end.

Let me just

            collapse in this chair

                        and share

                                    in your tears.