Impressed

Haiku for those who are close

The scribe was impressed;

this itinerant teacher

is clearly no fool.

An honest question:

Which, of all the commandments,

is the first of all?

One: Hear, Israel,

the Lord God, is one. Love God

with all your being.

Wait, there’s a second!

Your love for God becomes real

in loving others.

As you love yourself,

so you must love your neighbour.

It’s all about love.

Great answer, Jesus.

To love completely, this is

the way to true life.

No burnt offering

or sacrifice can compare

with the work of love.

The scribe understands!

Jesus speaks: You are not far,

from the realm of God.

© Ken Rookes 2021

 

Bartimaeus knew.

A metaphor sublime:

from darkness to light;

was blind, now I see.

Pure poetry.

From illusion, soft, unfocused,

unthreatening;

to crisp-edged reality,

sharp against a blue sky

that extends beyond.

This reality, the substance of which

is pain and beauty; mingled

and aching, both,

inseparable.

They call it discipleship;

Bartimaeus knew.

© Ken Rookes 2021

 

Now I see

Haiku for the enlightened

The blind beggar sees

enough light to realise

that Jesus can help.

Just a glimmer, but

The smallest fragment of hope

leads him to shout out.

Blind Bartimaeus

has heard the rumours; he cries,

Jesus, have mercy!

The crowd insists: Hush

Don’t trouble the teacher! But

Jesus has heard him.

Jesus stops. Call him!

Take heart! they tell the blind man,

he is calling you.

The teacher asks, What

should I do for you? Let me

see again, Jesus!

Your faith makes you well.

Sight restored, Bartimaeus

follows on the way

Open our eyes, Lord.

We, who grope in the darkness,

would see, and follow.

© Ken Rookes 2021

At your right and left

Haiku for servants

Teacher, will you grant

whatever we ask of you?

They ask, cunningly.

What is it you want?

He asked brothers James and John

when they came to him.

In your glory time,

grant us to sit at your right

hand, and at your left.

Jesus must have sighed.

You don’t know what you’re asking;

haven’t heard my words.

Can you drink my cup,

or share in my baptism?

Sure we can, Jesus!

Yes, you will follow.

Death will be my baptism,

suffering my cup.

The Gentile rulers

play at power, lording it;

Don't imitate them!

Would you become great?

You must become a servant;

be the slave of all.

The Son of Man came

not to be served, but to serve;

and to give his life.

The sighs continue.

Many still play power games;

refusing to hear.

© Ken Rookes 2021

We have left everything

Haiku of the journey

He had kept the law,

this man who wanted to live

the life eternal.

Jesus looks with love.

One thing you lack. Sell the lot,

give it to the poor.

For your poverty,

treasure in heaven. The cost

proves to be too great.

How hard for the rich

to enter God’s realm. Camels

squeezing through needles!

Relax, he wasn’t

talking to us. Just this man!

We can keep our stuff.

We who have comfort,

warm, with three meals; perhaps we

are among the rich.

Who, then, can be saved?

For mortals, not possible,

but God can do it.

What you leave behind

to follow, you will receive

back a hundredfold.

In the age to come

all will be reversed. The first

are last; the last, first.

© Ken Rookes 2021