Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The Gardener

The Gardener

When Mary Magdalene saw Jesus freed from the tomb
she thought he was the gardener, a pleasant image
but not enough to divert her rootbound flow
of mineral-laden, plant-nourishing tears.

Only the sound of her resurrected teacher's voice calling her name
brought the instant of recognition needed by friends.

Meanwhile, the ordinary gardener must have been watching
secretly enjoying his moment of mistaken identity
and smiling as he bent to pluck a blossom
wondering if he should call out too, and meet these friends
who seemed so comfortable in the presence of angels
and thorny weeds.
- Margarita Engle

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