THE STRAP HUNG ON TTHE BATHROOM DOOR
TO SHARPEN HIS SHAVING BLADE
AND TO THRASH THE TENDER BUMS
OF NAUGHTY CHILDREN
THE DREADED SOUND OF ‘GO FETCH THE STRAP ! ‘
TURNED CHILDISH MERRIMENT
INTO FROZEN FEAR
SO ….GOD MUST HAVE A STRAP!
BEING ‘GOOD’ AVOIDED ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
ONES CHILDHOOD FAITH WAS DO’S AND DONT’S
NOT BREAKING RULES , SO MISERABLY SAD !
AND YET, UNINVITED JOYS CREPT IN
IN SPITE OF WHAT THEY SAID
T’WAS MIDDLE LIFE WHEN CHRYSALIS EMERGED
AND WINGED IT’S JOYFUL FLIGHT INTO NEW TRUTHS
AND JESUS, THE CHRIST, CHANGED LEATHER STRAP
INTO A TENDER BRANCH OF OLIVES
AND GOD BECAME TRULY HUMAN !
HE LAUGHED AND SANG AND DANCED
AND MELTED FROZEN FEARS IN LOVE
HE LOVED US SINNERS AND TAUGHT US HOW TO FORGIVE
HOW COULD ONE NOT LOVE AND TRUST THIS GOD?
ONE DID. AND FEASTED ON HIS EUCHARISTIC FEAST AND HOLY WORD
IN TIMES OF JOYS AND SADNESSES
AND NOW, EIGHTY YEARS AND EIGHT , FRAGILE WINGS READY TO REST
FACING RETURN TO THE SOURCE OF LIFE, BREATH AND LIGHT WITH JOY
NOW ALL IS MYSTERY AND AWE
TOO GREAT TO UNDERSTAND OR COMPREHEND
EXCEPT IN GRATITUDE AND ETERNAL LOVE.
Joan le Morvan 2020 lockdown, Iona.
