Seven Stanzas at Easter
by John Updike
Make no mistake: if He rose at all
it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse, the molecules
reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the Church will fall.
It was not as the flowers,
each soft Spring recurrent;
it was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled
eyes of the eleven apostles;
it was as His flesh: ours.
The same hinged thumbs and toes,
the same valved heart
(Read the rest here, and thanks again, Atticus, for the idea.)
~~~~~
The Poetry Friday round up is at Booktalking.
7 comments:
This poem always delights me with its sheer unexpectedness.
This was new to me and took some thought. Very real though - the weight of that stone!
I've been looking for poems that would capture the essence of Easter last week, you sure hit the jackpot here. Thank you for sharing.
I agree, very thought provoking. Thanks for sharing this poem.
Wow. I never read that one before. Wonderful!
Oh that first stanza just makes my heart leap. I'd almost forgotten this one, though I know I've seen it before. Did you share it before? I do think this is just about as perfect an Easter poem as I can ever hope for. Thanks so much for sharing it. And so glad I finally got round to it while it is still Easter. He is Risen! Alleluia!
I don't think I've shared this one before. I'd read it before, but it was Atticus' idea to share it for Easter. I can't believe I could forget such a heart leaper, Melanie! Updike always had a way of surprising me.
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