Resurrection, by Ellen Mass

[Our prompt for the April 7 meeting was the theme of Resurrection.  Ellen Mass brought us her poem that follows.  It makes reference to the work of Flannery O'Connor.]  

The entire game plan of salvation hung on atonement and resurrection of the Messiah.

 

 

Resurrection

 

True or not, belief of it changes everything in you

If something isn’t true, like making the dead come alive, says the misfit,

     Do as you please with any time you have left.

 

Say “no” to the forces of darkness,

   Raise yourself above the fray of violence-

       Your resurrection is then assured, so

       implies teachings of Jesus.

 

Jesus threw everything off balance by raising the dead,

    said the misfit, as grandmother also questioned this belief, doubting

       like Thomas whether he did or not -

       just before they stopped; murdered Bailey’s family -

              It was the escapee’ from crime.

   

Staring into the non-believers eyes, grandma

           Saw herself,

            Pleading, You are one of my children, then

                    silence after three shots.

 

No belief in life after death, Misfit 

          was not there at Christ’s crucifixion, or he’d believe.

          He would be a different person --if he could believe.

          Compassion of grandmother revealed his broken soul.

                            She was also duplicitous and bold

 However,

To tell the O’Connor Catholic story, whole

    Grandmother died for his sins and was resurrected - herself and her kin

        For Flannery knew ascension and resurrection as a heavenly win

        Thus, I loved Flannery for her life concern

        That the wretched of the earth shall never burn