Tag Archives: National Poetry Month

Why is this Night Different?

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As part of the Passover celebration there are several steps. One of the steps is the Maggid. This is where the stories of the Exodus and Israel’s release from captivity in Egypt are retold. Before that happens this part of the evening is kicked off by asking four questions collectively known as Ma Nishtana. The main question is: What makes this night different from all other nights?

This villanelle tries to capture the mood on that first Maudy Thursday as Jesus’ closest followers eat the Passover meal without quite understanding that His hour had come nor how different this night was really going to be from all other nights.

Why is this night different we say
We prepare bread of yeast-less dough
Guarded by the lamb we did slay

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The Nature of Easter (a series of haiku)

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The month of April is national poetry month and also when Easter generally falls. This year I wrote a set of haiku that primarily focused on the final week of Jesus’ life. The haiku is an unrhymed poetic form originating in Japan. In English it typically consists of 17 syllables arranged in a 5-7-5 pattern over three lines. The form generally uses nature as a topic and seeks to suggest ideas through contrast and double meaning.

Thirst sends one walking
More than some water is sought
From an ancient well

A straight path ahead
Branches waving wildly
There’s no turning back

A fruitless fig tree
Expectations are not met
It withers and dies

Lilies dot the field
Tranquility is shattered
White is colored red

A seed is planted
Earth holds what it can’t contain
From death comes much fruit

A buried seed sprouts
Sown it bursts forth in new life
Birds shall rest in shade

Sunlight breaks the dark
On a rock a dove alights
A new day has dawned

White as Snow

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It is National Poetry Month, so I thought I would share some poems. This one was written last year during Easter. It uses an Arabic poetic form known as the ghazal.

White lilies cover the field as blanketing snow.
The women walk softly, silent as falling snow.

The rock that once covered the gate is set aside.
A figure comes forth bright as the glistening snow.

Fear not, the one you are looking for is not here.
The serpent’s plan is ruined, as dirt marring snow.

For into the pit, the grave swallowed a lion.
He endured death’s coldness that numbs as stinging snow.

The dead one now lives with eyes blazing like fire.
Hard hearts start to soften as the heat melting snow.

The Ancient One gives Him both glory and power
And praises roar as winds in a blizzarding snow