The wolf takes control

After Acts 8:1-7

He hears the speech, a sermon

really, directed against the rulers,

among which he considers

himself, or at least their helpmate,

and he nods and smiles, giving

approval as the speaker is rocked

with stones, pummeled to death

with rocks. This will stop it,

this will stop the infection and

the disease. He will root it out,

infectious cell by infectious cell,

searching the city house to house,

finding them, ordering guards

to drag them away and confine

infectious cells to cells with bars,

cells with chains.

And the flock scatters to the winds,

seemingly blown without thought,

without direction, fleeing 

for safety, for life, finding

themselves in small towns and

minor cities, places of little

consequence. And still fired

by the holy wind, they do

the only thing they know to do:

they speak, they preach, they tell

the truth of what they know.

Photograph by Rajashree Patra via Unsplash. Used with permission.