February 9, 2022

Zacharias

I wonder how Zacharias felt, then, on the eighth day

and maybe even all those days the last nine months

silenced by Gabriel, who stood in the presence of God

watching as his neighbours spoke to him by signs

did he long to tell them "I can hear you perfectly well

it's my mouth that's been taken from me, not my ears"

we don't know if he teased them about this later on

smiling with fatherly tenderness upon the son of his old age

all we know is when he could speak again he sang to God