February 1987

the sun shone bright

that Sabbath day

down into

the courtyard of a pool

where a man and a man

were speaking

one standing

on healthy feet

one lying

on threadbare mats

two men

trading words

of some worth

two men

beneath the sun

alone

as he who stood

spoke

he who lay

stood

ran

wept and danced

and taking up his bed

went home

in joy

he who spoke

remained

other men regarded

he who spoke

with contempt

his rebuttal

of their belief

a gap too great to bridge

and seeing this

with clay made eyes

saw only a shattered law

and not the law now written

could they have seen

what a procession

would have danced

to the home of he who sang