opinion: a view from under the pew: amos on easter
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amos on easter
boss it s here exclamation
point the greatest time of
the year - easter -
it s the time for lilies
green grass little bunnies
and chicks multicolored
eggs and bright butterflies
symbols of brand-new lives
in jesus the messiah
sometimes though boss
i wonder what that
first easter must have
been like you know what
those bible characters
really felt and thought -
and how we might have
acted in their place
would we have understood
his act of grace or would
we instead have sought
to save face question mark
boss i went to bed in my
matchbox last night musing
over what it might have
been like as a beduoin
mouse in jesus day
and immediately the
sandman dumped a
whole truck load on
me and i drifted into
a dreamland of dusty
arabic deserts where
i was trudging my way
into jerusalem
just as i neared the
outskirts of the city
it seemed as if all of
creation was coming
alive in mourning
tears flowed from
cracks in disjointed
rocks making wet
tracks in the dirt
flowers closed their
blooms and grapes
and pomegranates
bowed their fruitful
heads in shame
a weeping willow
sobbed uncontrollably
beside the road
what s the matter
says i what s caused
you so to cry
why haven t you
heard says she all
about black friday
the day the darkness
ruled over the sun
at noon the day the
earth quaked the
rocks broke the
thunder roared and
the lord spoke
where on earth were
you - in kalamazoo
no i don t think
so says i but tell
me why all these
wonders on the land
and in the sky
the rose of sharon has
died she replied and
there s no place to
hide so all we ve
done is cried and
cried and cried and
cried
i still don t understand
says i who s the rose
of sharon and why
did he die
she said he s the
rose of love sent
from the lord above
in him dwelt the
beauty of flowers
everywhere he was
the fairest of ten
thousand anywhere
he was perfect said
she he radiated glory
peace life and victory
but why oh why
said i did such a
great rose die
he was despised and
rejected of plants
there were those who
wished to kill him
and dance on his
grave and just leave
him for the ants
but again said i
why
a sad lily nearby
offered me this reply
his beauty angered
the thornbushes and
thistles said she
compared to him
their glory was turned
to ugly through
hot-tempered jealousy
and green-leafed envy
yes that s right said
the sorrowful willow
they tore at his green
leaves they pierced his
peaceful petals lashed
at his lithe stem plucked
his life up by the
roots strapped him
to a stake and
hung him out
to dry - and die -
then the willow began
to wail and the
lily began to lament
oh he s gone she
mourned and cried
he s nowhere around
his life-juices poured
out on barren unfeeling
ground
wait said a flit
flashing by
now what was that
said i
just me said barry
the bumblebee but
listen i ve got some news
that ll set you free
you see i ve been
talking to the marigold
planted next to the garden
tomb and she told
me that the rose of
sharon is alive and
whole in fact he s touched
her and brought new life
to her soul
oh joy he s alive
the weeping willow sang
he s alive the lily
trumpeted the refrain
he s alive to live
forevermore buzzed barry
by his death he buried
death in the deepest sea
and by his life he lives
to set his flowers free
by then boss we were
all shouting hallelujah
hallelu when the sun
peeped through those
stained-glass windows
and glory covered
my little matchbox bed
what a way to wake
to easter boss
amos
