Categories
Poetry

The Wise Man

  1. I threw away my fish one day,
  2. And walked behind a man.
  3. His steps were clear and deep and sure
  4. Upon the burning sand.
  5. He walked right by, spoke scant a word,
  6. But drew me still somehow.
  7. I followed close behind the man
  8. As wonder would allow.
  9. It wasn’t long before I saw
  10. The depth and breadth inside
  11. This man who took his steady hand
  12. And touched another’s eyes.
  13. Then turned a bit and cupped an ear
  14. And turned and felt a tongue.
  15. Then turned once more with outstretched hand
  16. And lifted up someone.
  17. My eyes were wide, my jaw was dropped
  18. As I could not believe
  19. The things I saw with my own eyes
  20. That this man could achieve.
  21. And further on he walked again,
  22. Speaking as he went.
  23. And one by one, the people came
  24. With sleeping roll and tent.
  25. It was me who was with he
  26. The night I nearly drowned.
  27. It was I to whom he cried
  28. To make his children found.
  29. I was there when angels came
  30. And covered him in light.
  31. I was there in that girl’s house
  32. When her dawn stopped her night.
  33. I felt his hand upon my head,
  34. His hair around my feet.
  35. I felt the angels pry the locks.
  36. I was almost complete.
  37. I was there when he had prayed
  38. And closed my eyes to sleep.
  39. I was there behind the woods
  40. While they walked that street.
  41. Even then I did not know
  42. All that he had told.
  43. Some things strange and not quite clear,
  44. My mind could not enfold.
  45. Yet then I heard the rooster crow,
  46. And then again twice more.
  47. It was then I realised that
  48. There was so much more.
  49. And though my will was quick to go
  50. My flesh stayed still behind.
  51. I took some time and found my fish
  52. And thought some things behind.
  53. My life had changed these last few years
  54. I was not quite the same.
  55. And there he was, the man I loved,
  56. Calling me by name.
  57. Days went by, and soon I came
  58. Upon the temple gates,
  59. And looked upon a beggar there
  60. And saw his lonely state.
  61. “Look on us,” I called to him
  62. And so he cast his eyes.
  63. “We have no coins, but this we have:
  64. In Jesus’ name, arise.”
  65. And as I took him by the arm
  66. And lifted him to stand.
  67. I felt the spirit pierce my heart
  68. And power leave my hand.
  69. He stood steadfast, with solid feet,
  70. And then I felt anew.
  71. For now my faith was full, a stone,
  72. And now it all I knew.

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By Kim Siever

I live in Lethbridge with my spouse and 5 of our 6 children. I’m a writer, focusing on social issues and the occasional poem. My politics are radically left. I recently finished writing a book debunking several capitalism myths. My newest book writing project is on the labour history of Lethbridge.

I’m also dichotomally Mormon. And I’m a functional vegetarian: I have a blog post about that somewhere around here. My pronouns are he/him.

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