poem/prayer for April 27, 2014 (John 20:19-31)

they lie just
         under the bed,
   doubt bunnies
      waiting patiently
      for me to get
         dressed for
               faith,
    so they can
    cling to my
       pants and socks,
          traveling
          with me
   through each day,
      giggling as they
      stain my pristine
               piety;

on summer evenings,
         as i sit
         on the deck
   trying to center
      myself in
            you, they
         flit about
         in the shadows,
   their tails flickering
            skeptically
      as they seek to
            distract me
      from such
         moments,
                  until
   you gather them
   up in an old
            olive jar,
      so you can
          see your way
          to me,

where,
    holding my
      life-scarred hands
            in yours, and
   rubbing grace's gritty                
         balm over the
      world's sharp wounds,
you whisper,
   'my friend and my beloved!'

and
      continue
   to believe in
                me,
      despite
      everything
      you have
   seen.

(c) 2014 Thom M. Shuman

the watchdog (John 11:33)

he comes
      on padded feet,
   sniffing the wind,
         recognizing the
         smell of the
      Threatening One
            who would
            steal away
         his best
              friend,
      snarling and
          nipping
        at its heels,
             until
      Azrael slinks off
          into the
        shadows;

then turning towards
     the stone, he
   barks quickly
       that all is
       safe, and
    waits (with
      joy in his
         heart)
   for Laz
     to come
out.

(c) 2014  Thom M. Shuman

Thom