Sunday, April 26, 2009

Martha


Today's napowrimo prompt from readwritepoem was "Let's get Metaphysical," and they provided us with poems from Rumi and Hafiz to inspire us. I wound up writing from the point-of-view of one who cannot get past the worries of the world to see or know the metaphysical. The painting here is by French painter James Tissot, 1836-1902.
The Word said to Martha
There is only one necessary thing
But still she put her shoulder to the stone

The Word said consider the lilies of the field
But still she scrambled about,
Annoyed at the injustice of it all

It can’t be that easy, she muttered
There is more to all of this and
It remains hidden from me

His eye may be on the sparrow but
Mine is left to dart from
Room to room and worry

I know no yoke that’s easy and sweet
A woman knows bread doesn’t bake itself
And cobwebs don’t clear themselves away

And water does not part itself for us
We can only carry it in heavy jugs
On our hips and on our heads

And yet my sister gazes, simple, at His face
And worries not her hands, and worries not her hands
While Salvation leaves me to clean up in its wake

4 comments:

  1. "And water does not part itself for us
    We can only carry it in heavy jugs
    On our hips and on our heads"

    amen!
    easy for the men to be metaphysical when women are the ones getting physical... ;)

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  2. I like how you juxtapose the metaphysical with a woman's everyday labors. "While Salvation leaves me to clean up in its wake:" great ending.

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  3. Very good. Zen-like. What good is all this metaphysical musing when there are physical chores that need to be done.

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  4. This is beautifully done. I love the lyricism of this, the question.

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