Sunday, February 15, 2015

He writes in the dust


So what does he write
in the dust, what words
as he listens to the question,
the trap

what does he write
in this story, itself written
in the dust

she was caught, they say
in the act, they say,
of adultery, they say
she should die, they say
stoning, they say

He writes in the dust

The executioner, he says
must be sinless, he says
the one who stones, he says
must be blameless, he says
only the sinless, he says
can execute judgment, he says

He writes in the dust

The first stone drops, thud
then the second drops, thud
the third, thud
thud thud thud thud

He writes in the dust

The stones drop, again
as he writes, again
in the dust
thud thud thud thus

Go, he says
sin no more, he says

only the sinless, the blameless
can execute, he says
only the sinless, the blameless

can forgive

6 comments:

Doug Spurling said...

Can I copy that to hang on my wall?

Glynn said...

Doug - absolutely!

Lori Heyd said...

Beautifully said......I have always wondered about that writing in the dust!

Martha Jane Orlando said...

Beyond awesome!

lynnmosher said...

One of my favorite NT stories. I love this, Glynn!

Sandra Heska King said...

So may more he says than they says. Thud.