Monday, February 15, 2010

fear not the rub of ash (Poem)

fear not the rub of ash

fear not the rub of ash   the burning
away of want   of wanting
for the future  a yet to be  He stripped
and bared before us our own cross
bears   our sacrifice but tincture
of tears weep none   for the past
once passed returns our Son
our scarlet scars to heal   in dark
to rise from ash His sign revealed

______________________________

I wrote this poem for Abbey of the Arts Poetry Party #44, "Entering the Desert's Fire"; and for Carry On Tuesday's prompt for February 16, which comprises this quote from 19th Century poet Percy Bysshe Shelley's "To a Skylark": "Fear not for the future / Weep not for the past".

Go here for the poems or the links to the poems collected for the Abbey's poetry party. The deadline for contributions is Friday, February 19. There will be a random drawing that day for a copy of Christine Valters Paintner's Sacred Poetry: An Invitation to Write.

Go here for links to all the poems for Carry on Tuesday.

9 comments:

Glynn said...

I would like to read this again on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Reading it, I feel humbled.

Dianna Woolley said...

"fear not the ash" - that moment is a solemn one, isn't it? A beautiful little poem!

xo

Kathleen Overby said...

Tincture. Tincture. That's a really good tear pairing. :) I always wish
I could hear you read your poetry. All you poets, in your own voice.

sarah said...

I like this. Right now, today, perfect.

Tracey Clarke said...

Absolutely beautiful...

Laura said...

Maureen--

I am just now exhaling. Wow. I miss so much at the beginning of the week--my busy days...my soul-weary days.

This is breathtaking.

Abbey of the Arts said...

Maureen, you have such an incredible poetic voice, that first line sings in me - "fear not the rub of ash" - fear not the call to radical transformation.

Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience said...

Beautiful, Maureen.... deeply moving.

Thank you.

Andy Sewina said...

Wonderfully done, 'Fear not the rub of ash' is a big big statement, and puts us in mind of that which is yet to come.