Monday, February 29, 2016

Missing Out: a haiku sequence


The tax-collectors
come to listen to his words;
he greets them as friends.

The righteous grumble
while the Pharisees complain;
avoid such sinners.

He tells a story
of a father with two sons;
weeping for them both.

One son travels far,
he wastes the family's wealth
then he smartens up.

His dad is waiting,
not in anger but in love;
calls for a party.

They are reconciled.
Love, forgiveness, grace; these three
renew our living.

The older brother
is unimpressed. He reckons
he's been missing out.

“These years I have slaved,”
the son complains “And for what?”
“It's all yours,” says dad.

“I wept for my son
when he was lost. Now he's back;
we have to party!”

We are all the same;
the worry of missing out
extinguishes love.



© Ken Rookes 2016

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