Jesus among the lepers:
Jesus dead on his feet,
wondering what to do.
Sleep deprived,
confused about the purpose
of so many damaged people,
all he wants is for someone to say his name and nothing else.
These caves
dark,
foul air,
stumbling over bodies and limbs
reaching out to touch dead flesh,
unable to breathe, or speak,
smoky chambers, eyes burning
it’s as if suffering is the end in itself – his, theirs, everyone’s
not even the banality of evil to cast out.
There is no sunrise
or sunset
in this place.
He is thinking
thinking about the cost of need,
the price of want
thinking he must live somewhere…
What is it like?
Is there light,
air,
clear water,
a soft mattress?
Someone to put a hand on his face,
say his name and nothing else.
Open link night with the dVerse poets
Bible Story
03 Monday Feb 2014
Posted in poems
Poetry on the run 
beautiful!
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Thank you Sigrun.
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The cost of need and the price of want.. really stroke a cord with me..
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Lovely! I really like this exceedingly human Jesus.
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Thank you Marilyn…I’m kind of partial the human guy myself.
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i wonder if he sometimes struggled with the things he was confronted with but then, he knew why he was there and he knew there would be no other chance for us so..
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A thought-provoking poem, Ronald. It really would be interesting to know what was in Jesus’ mind a lot of times during his earthly journey. I too do wonder if he ever got tired or felt confused as he went about his work.
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i wonder if he ever felt wore out…giving…healing….always giving—i know it wears me out at times…wanting someone just to be with him instead of needing something from him….
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I like the perspective of your poem, Ron. I suppose we are so used to reading the biblical stories that we tend to forget that they portray real flesh and blood people.
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It is rare these days to read a portrayal of Jesus as man, but so important in truly getting to know him. Wonderful read.
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so many damaged people
and we among them
His loves extends to all
loved hearing your voice tell the tale
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So much suffering and sacrifice … the cost of need, indeed.
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Food for thought ~ A lovely reading, thank you ~
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a fine reading, and thoughtful pen ~
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We don’t think of Jesus feeling loneliness and a need for comfort but he must have experienced these human emotions which you have expressed so empathetically in your poem.
Working with the lepers in those times must have been particularly daunting. Poor souls were left to rot and die.
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Very intriguing… A poem that will keep me pondering.
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The cost of need and price of want – thought provoking.
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Struggling with the human frailties and fears and then rising above them is what makes him really special. Touchingly described.
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Yes – the cost of need and the price of want – a perfect phrase. Jesus as just a man, feeling the weight of it all… because he was just a man, at the end of the day…
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yes, at the end of the day a human being like you and me.
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you brought this to life… sometimes we forget He was part man too… the overwhelming hurt that surrounded Him
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Made me think of Charleton Heston in the movie Ben Hur when he walks through the caves where the lepers hide looking for his mother and sister. It’s a moving scene. I mean this as a compliment. I attended Catholic school for 12 years. That did me in. Say his name and nothing else… that speaks to me. I love your work. I’ll probably say that again.
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Steph, I found the scene from Ben Hur on youtube and it is chock full of emotion.
I too am a product of 12 years of Catholic school, plus a couple in the seminary…guess I just took longer to catch on than you did.
Ever since we crossed paths on dVerse I have enjoyed reading your poetry…there is always something in it that strikes me as innately poetic…like your opening lines :
songbirds, exactly six
sit in the naked apple tree
That there are exactly six in a naked tree is just the kind of poetic image that works for me.
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