HOLY WEEK: The second in the annual Holy Week series from the Pray Channel.
I walked home from the stars
last night, and found upon my way
a branch, as an elderly hand in sway,
its shadow on the wall made scars.
Painted limb appeared more real
than the mesh of winter twigs
twining about in grey-green sprigs;
the shade-tree’s lines dark enough to feel.
I pondered how I would like to be
a clear shadow on history’s wall,
though I could only grapple with the Fall,
Redemption shown in depth of two, not three.
All we are is but flickering shade—
yet in this season of Bright Sadness,
the shadows reflect in crisp blackness,
the glory of the King, fresh made.
Jody Byrkett is the editor of the Pray channel. She lives in picturesque Colorado where she enjoys hiking by sunshine or by starlight, foggy mornings and steaming mugs of tea, reading classic literature and theological essays, studying words and their origins, and practising the art of hospitality. (She also has a habit of spelling things ‘Britishly’.)