Thursday, April 21, 2011

Thursday: The Common


Common things:
tavern, upper room
celebration, remembrance
wooden table
bowl to wash
feet
bread, wine
common men

Common hate:
betrayal
hatred without cause
the reason that is
no reason.

Common dread:
evening chill
garden, cold
fear buried in sleep
dreams uneasy
afflicted, haunted
solitude unwanted
loneliness wretched
no repose, prayer
unanswered
certainty of
abandonment,
forsaken.

This poem is the first in a series of four, and is submitted to the blog carnival on Easter hosted by Bonnie Gray at Faith Barista. To see more posts on Easter, please visit the site.

Photograph: The Last Supper, scene from the movie The Passion, produced by Mel Gibson.

13 comments:

Bob Spencer said...

Whoa. Every bit contributing to the feeling of dread and even shame. I love these lines.

Joy said...

Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

dude said...

Nothing common about that poem bro'...that was very moving!

Lisa notes... said...

“certainty of abandonment”
Not many of us would walk straight into that or any of these things. Very good poetry, Glynn! I’m moved. That’s what good poetry does.

Louise Gallagher said...

Me too -- can't wait for the whole series -- as this one is very powerful.

You've reminded me of the power and importance of ritual, contemplation and prayer.

Thank you.

L.L. Barkat said...

I haven't written a thing for Easter. And so I'm happy to read such as yours to bring the final moments of the season in.

HisFireFly said...

Beautiful words for a most "uncommon" God

Anonymous said...

with this photo and your words, have opened a door where i can enter into this moment. i feel, smell, hear sense this place in time.

S. Etole said...

common to mankind ... what grace He gives

Maureen said...

The stripping of the altar and the observation of silence have always for me been so powerful a part of the Easter celebration.

Reading this poem creates that same feeling that accompanies me in these final days before the Resurrection.

Cheryl said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Bonnie Gray said...

If I had a Good Friday service and was asked to provide a meditation. I would read this poem. That last stanza of lines -- every line sharp as a razor. "solitude unwanted" - this jumped out at me. I think I might take this tonight.. to meditate and to reflect in response and prayer myself. Thank you, Glynn.

Melissa, Multi-Tasking Mama said...

I think you capture well what must have been heavy in the air that day...my heart aches just thinking of it. and it was anything but common.