Baptism: What can a widowed mother do? God gives a son only to tease? That other…

Baptism:
What can a widowed mother do?
God gives a son only to tease?
That other something there
has taken him away from me.

His place is set at table here, but usually unfilled.
His bed is made, but always now unused.
His name is called, but commonly unanswered.

He has finally gone
from us.

The neighbor women told me.
they had seen him there
with wild, mad, camel-vested John;
and, oh, I know he goes to certain trouble
in those Jordan waters.

And then those stories
about a bird,
about a sound some called a voice!

It is too much
when piled upon my heap of misery,
my store of mystery.

How can it ever lead to good
when I,
when we
are left behind?
—Poem by John Julian, from ##039;Eyes Have I That See##039;

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *