Tearing

On the day when Jesus

strolled down to the Jordan

to meet with John and to be baptised,

the heavens, it is said, were torn apart.

They’ve been tearing apart ever since,

not just with Jesus,

who was outrageous enough;

some of those who came after him

have ripped things up a bit, too.

They broke laws, defied the powers

and governments, and challenged

the fearful and loveless status quo.

Here are some of the outcomes;

divine fragments,

torn from the heavenly interface

like squares from yesterday’s newspaper

and layered with earth’s paste

as they are fashioned into something new

and surprising.

A papier-mâche new creation, disturbing,

defiant, and more than a little foolish;

it is flimsy and fragile,

a vulnerable reliquary

of sacred hope.

© Ken Rookes 2015