Nearing the finish

Haiku of goodbye

Nearing the finish

Jesus dines at Bethany

with his dearest friends.

They make him welcome;

Martha, Lazarus, Mary.

A fellowship meal.

A pound of pure nard,

costly perfume; Mary spills

it over his feet.

Fragrance fills the air.

Mary touches feet with love,

wipes them with her hair.

There are objections.

This perfume could have been sold;

money for the poor!

Jesus agrees, It

could have been sold for the poor;

but it’s not wasted.

A gift for my death,

my burial. It comes soon;

do not chastise her.

The poor will remain

to test your loving. But I

won’t always be here.

© Ken Rookes