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

The blind man

Haiku for seeing

Blind Bartimaeus

lived in perpetual night,

but he still had hope.

Beggng by the road,

hearing reports and gossip,

he hoped in Jesus.

Jericho’s grapevine

told him Jesus was in town:

what were the chances?

He comes! They told him.

“Have mercy, Son of David!”

The blind man shouted.

You are a nuisance,

Bartimaeus; be silent!

He shouted louder.

Jesus heard his voice,

stopped and called the man over.

Take heart! They told him.

Jesus said to him,

What do you request of me?

Teacher, let me see.

Go, Bartimaeus,

your faith has been rewarded:

your sight is restored.

Bartimaeus went.

He went along with Jesus,

followed on the way.

Would that I, meeting

with my master; like friend Bart,

follow in his way.

© Ken Rookes 2018

The beggar of Jericho

In Jericho's streets

a loud, annoying man, blind and embarrassing,

glimpses hope for the first time

and shouts excitedly above the noise of the crowd.

The reason for his agitated cries:

one Jesus of Nazareth, aka, Son of David;

who is implored to be merciful

and to use his influence with the Divinity

to heal the man's vision-less eyes.

He ignores all attempts to silence him

and calls even louder.

The itinerant teacher takes notice,

and invites him to come.

The man has faith, he declares,

and credits this worthy attribute

with the impending recovery of his sight.

He now sees things clearly, for the first time;

not just the physical world

of sunlight, shadows, refractions,

wavelengths and lumens.

His Jerichoean darkness cast aside

as was his cloak minutes earlier,

he chooses to journey on an uncertain route,

but one saturated with light and purpose.

Embracing the travelling man as master, friend and guide,

he follows him glowingly down the road.

© Ken Rookes 2015

Let me see again

Let me see again

the blue sky gleaming gold day

when I saw the wonder of your grace.

Let me hear again

the words of love and hope

which make my spirit leap and shout.

Let me sing again

the song that soars beyond

the mean confinement of my thoughts.

Let me feel again

the cool wind of your Spirit,

causing me to shiver and stumble.

Let me dance again

the steps which ever surprise

as they rise towards the mystery.

Let me taste again

the cup of your discipleship

and weigh its bitter-sweet draught.

Let me reach again

to be embraced by love

and to share it with your friends.

Let me see again,

like at the first,

and let me follow with brother Bartimaeus

on the way.

© Ken Rookes