Keep Watch (Matthew
24:36-44)
The time is unknown
and there’s no equation for an answer,
The day that’s been in
waiting will one day be revealed,
With no Gnostic wisdom
to guide as perspective’s enhancer,
No way to put a full-stop
on the day that is sealed.
The Christ, one eye towards the bleak immediacy of what
hangs,
Behind his back,
Looks outwards to those gathered souls,
Expectant and hungry, yearning for something,
And he speaks,
Simply and softly calling down a challenge beyond ignoring,
‘Think of Noah and the flood’,
‘And the chaos that ensued’,
No words can prepare hearts for news like this,
No staccato rhythm change can call a heart to stop so
suddenly,
So suddenly and see such possibilities,
Dancing,
Just before the periphery’s beyond,
“Keep watch”,
“keep watch”,
For the day will be upon you and you’ll be given no clues,
The time is unknown
and there’s no equation for an answer,
The day that’s been in
waiting will one day be revealed,
With no Gnostic wisdom
to guide as perspective’s enhancer,
No way to put a full-stop
on the day that is sealed.
With what is to come imagined and clogging the throats and
hearts of hearers,
But these words weighed down with the promise of future pain
and pity are filled,
Filled to overflowing,
This river of living water,
Ready yourself and know the course the water flows,
Know the course your life must go,
Know the stream and its maker,
Know the purest water and drink, be a partaker,
In the mystery of this one who knows his future,
Who sees the carpenter’s saw in action,
Who will hear the hammer’s clang,
Follow the one in your hearts and let the body do the same,
Lives reoriented, set to an alarm clock with no known time,
The chimes of eternity will ring,
But their moment is beyond guessing, and instead simply
follows in
The time that remains,
Keep watch,
For the night is dark,
The terrors hang back momentarily,
The fears will rise,
The light will appear to fade,
But in time’s fullness,
Death’s thief will return,
The time is unknown
and there’s no equation for an answer,
The day that’s been in
waiting will one day be revealed,
With no Gnostic wisdom
to guide as perspective’s enhancer,
No way to put a full-stop
on the day that is sealed.
3 comments:
Thanks Tim, such thoughtful poetry, as always :0)
My attempt is here: http://weavingsoflife.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/poetry-of-the-lectionary/
...I am not going to read yours before I write mine, and then be surprised at how we have each responded personally to the Gospel. Thanks for the inspiration!
Cath x
Ohhh! I like that! Fabby poem!!!!
Thank you...it wasn't quite right, I changed 2 words this morning. I was lying in bed thinking about it not being quite right last night! Poetry does that to you!! Lol!
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