Sunday, December 23, 2018

"At the Border: Joseph Reflects"


At the Border: Joseph Reflects
Matthew 2:13: “Then Joseph got up, took the child
and his mother by night, and went to Egypt

The dreams are worse
                                     and I am
a coward to pull you    child
                                                into
this dark cloud

                            But your eyes
oh your eyes
                       are the same light
the old men brought in bags and
boxes   that night
                              when my heart
could stand no more
                                   strangers
devouring you
                          soul-draining hunger
surrounding us like sand

                                        The side-short
glances and grins tell me
                                          I am
breaking with them
                                  holding you
when I should be
                              mending
shaving   routing  the wood

                                              No
rules outweigh
                          my fear
you    little
                   smiling
                                 breathing
soft and calm
                        you stop
me

like the trumpet sounding
within my soul
                                that night
when the whispers first
                                       spoke

We will not rest
                             not
wonder
              no
                     we will
cross the border

                           You must
live beyond the delirium
death hurries to suffocate
the dreams
                   
                    you will be
for now   my only warmth

all  we all   must
save

           And all I can
ever hope

to hold

-- Luke

23 December 2018