the cross in pre-Christian times
[three poems inspired by part 1 of the mystery of the cross]
stones of callanish
within grey mist
beneath moss and bog
stones were kept
for time plus time
no questions asked
unearthed for fire
decay for fuel
mystery was lit
it burns still dark
no answers met
egyptian signs of life
light the inner chamber priest
break the sanctum’s seal
announce to the sculptured god
that it is not real
burn the fragrant incense
the god will not awake
anoint it with ten different oils
we know this god is fake
close the door and seal it priest
now you can depart
extinguishing the flame
that leaves you in the dark
the healing cross
look upon
the one
with
understanding
your sin
put to death
to bring life
everlasting
.
I have many times thought of mystery, as i have thought of God, and how God reveals things a little at a time, in what seems the right time. Being in my human condition, i have a hard time thinking that God can relate with me better than another person can. I keep thinking of things in terms of how i see them and feel them. I suppose that most people seek out things that they can touch and see to feel like they are connecting. I guess that is the way we would like to be with God. God finds ways that I can see that He is with me, even though i would like to experience Him as if He were like another person that i could see and touch and understand.
Anyway, i think that is maybe why people have always wanted symbols of events and rememberances of some kind to fill this human kind of desire of touch and/or to have God in our environment.
These are such lovely poems, nancy…and they capture the beginning of the book perfectly. I especially love this line from egyptian signs of life: “we know this god is fake”. It made me smile.
This is a great point about our 'need' to have something that we can touch/see as we attempt to relate to God. I have to admit that it is difficult for me at times to identify with someone that I cannot relate to physically. I do try to be careful not to worship the image itself, but I can see how certain images can help me to remember and sometimes understand what God did for me (and all of us).
I appreciate your contribution to this project Nancy! Yours is the first poetry contribution to one of these group blogging projects, and I really enjoyed it! Thank you!
I definitely agree with everything that you just said here Laura! I think that the poem about the egyptian ankh was my favorite of the three and says a lot about the need for something to hope for (as our Christian faith gives us hope through Jesus).
This is really gonna be a cool project!
Thanks for studying my book. It's an honor.