Posted by Steven on April 01, 1999 at 14:09:26:
This is a poem that Lauren Eversoll sent me today. (eversolb@hermes.brevard.edu)
This is truly beautiful. I wanted you all to read it.
"The New Ghost" Fredegond Shove
'and he casting his garment away rose and came to Jesus.'
And he cast it down, down on the green grass, over the young crocuses, where the dew was- he cast the garment of his flesh that was full of death, and like a sword his spirit showed out of the cold sheath. He went a pace or two , he went to meet his Lord, And, as I said , his spirit looked like a clean sword, and seeing him the naked trees began shivering, And all the birds cried aloud as if it were late spring. And the Lord came on, he came down, and saw that a soul was waiting there for Him, one without flaw, and they embraced in the churchyard where the robins play, And the daffodils hang their heads as they burn away. The Lord held his head fast and you could see that He kissed the unsheathed ghost that was gone free- as a hot sun, on a march day, kisses the cold ground; And the spirit knew well that his peace was found. The spirit trembled, and sprang up at the Lord's word, As on a wild April day springs up a small bird-So the ghost's feet lifting him up, he kissed the Lord's cheek, and for the greatness of their love neither of them could speak. But the Lord went then, to show him the way, over the young crocuses, under the green May That was not quite in flower yet- to a far distant land: And the ghost followed like a naked cloud holding the sun's hand.