These demands stab at what little hope we have
left buried in the soil of our prayers Pay now
go there stop that
Bow down die
How like we are to the soon
exhausted oil left
sputtering in the darkness
Them
forcing us to register
away from here when all will be ignored before any
return is finished step madly into the water and drown
who will even notice
Look
they have come back
Some dark cloud seemed to cover her as
they came to each of us that
morning
When they left for his forced reckoning
I
doubted
their place would wait that
journey’s close
Nevertheless we left it locked
against intrusion
Something between them seemed so
trusting and
so calm that they gave us just
enough morsels
to sustain us
But now
she is holding a child and he is holding her hand
and the guiding cord for the mule
a child
I am going to the road
and so are the others to see
what is pulling us into their path what
yes oh
yes she is looking at each of us
and he too is holding
us with a gaze so fierce as to
begin us humming
just to find our breath
yes oh yes
a child is here
to
tell us
why the light must flare
-- Luke
