Friday, October 5, 2012

Morning Joe--Poetry Friday


This poem grows from participation in a Godly Play "wondering"
based on the story of the Great Shepherd and the sheep—a story
that is one of the Jesus stories that never fails to move me. Never.



Olly olly oxen free free free

We hide; he seeks.
He seeks; we run away.
He runs after, gives chase,
calling after us, coaxing us;
We say, What do you want?
He says, Olly olly oxen free free free

He hides; we seek.
He’s found; we’re surprised.
We cover him, hoping he’ll stay hidden
but we’re drawn back and check.
Yes, he’s still there, smiling;
We say, What do you want?
He says, Olly olly oxen free free free

He plays and calls us to play,
to sit with him on the ground,
clothes dusty, knees worn;
We say, What do you want?
He says, Look there’s a box.
Pandora’s? Well, maybe, but God’s, for sure.
Careful, parable at work. Lift the lid, open the present,
look inside:
A sheepfold holding—I wonder.
A quiet seed growing—I wonder.
A whole universe becoming—I wonder.

A mystery—a silent child speaking loudly
in our circle—the face of the child is the
Face of God we can see
and the child, in a quiet and holy space,
humming a tune:
Olly olly oxen free free free

Follow me, the Shepherd says, over the grass,
by the pond, through the rocks
to the golden nest in the mustard tree
under the shining sun
singing a song
Olly olly oxen free free free

—amk

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