Best Maundy Thursday Poems
MAUNDY THURSDAY
The Upper Room was hushed that night,
As frightened friends supped their last as one.
Shoving back the morrow
When their leader would be gone.
This is my body—broken for you;
You are my beloved—take my blood, too.
Do this and as oft as you do it,
Do it in remembrance of me.
(A shipman shivered on a night-long watch
The night was warm, but he was not.
“There is a horror in the air breathed he.)
And for you I will go to the tree.
For you, I will give all of me.
(Outside somewhere across the world
A bird stopped singing, dropped its head,
And curled its wings under in a roosting pose.)
Did he know—did he really know
He would rise again and live
He has surely faithed it so!
And with body trembling but heart obedient.
He would go.
(And in the distance a cobbler nailing
Finished his last shoes for the day.)
My soul screams, He silent cries!
By what decree must it be
That I must lie upon a tree and nailed be,
Beaten by the throng—I have done no wrong!
Have You forsaken me—here in my Gethsemane?
(If you can listen, you can hear a
Mother’s lullaby song.)
Father, you chose me for this desperate task
That they may all know Love at last.
Thy will be done.
As We are One.
(The feverish earth turns, dances, sings, sails, nails,
Rocks without eyes – without ears – it spins on.)
Easter is not yet.
Categories:
maundy thursday, death, easter, passion, ,
Form:
Dramatic Verse
MAUNDY THURSDAY
The Upper Room was hushed that night,
As frightened friends supped their last as one.
Shoving back the morrow
When their leader would be gone.
This is my body—broken for you;
You are my beloved—take my blood, too.
Do this and as oft as you do it,
Do it in remembrance of me.
(A shipman shivered on a night-long watch
The night was warm, but he was not.
“There is a horror in the air breathed he.)
And for you I will go to the tree.
For you, I will give all of me.
(Outside somewhere across the world
A bird stopped singing, dropped its head,
And curled its wings in a roosting pose.)
Did he know—did he really know
He would rise again and live
He has surely faithed it so!
And with body trembling but heart obedient.
He would go.
(And in the distance a cobbler nailing
Finished his last shoes for the day.)
My soul screams, He silent cries!
By what decree must it be
That I must lie upon a tree and nailed be,
Beaten by the throng—I have done no wrong!
Have You forsaken me—here in my Gethsemane?
(If you can listen, you can hear a
Mother’s lullaby song.)
Father, you chose me for this desperate task
That they may all know Love at last.
Thy will be done.
As We are One.
(The feverish earth turns, dances, sings, sails, nails,
Rocks without eyes – without ears – it spins on.)
Easter is not yet.
Categories:
maundy thursday, faith, imagery,
Form:
Narrative
When little you have to live for and far,
When righteousness your own for little counts,
Knocked down and bruised and battered when you are,
When your wasted shadow forever haunts;
When rites and rituals robbed are of magic,
Piety, pilgrimage, notso might please,
Belaboured worship loses all logic,
Divine grace seems to gasp for last of lease;
Keen when you are to off-load your old self,
To fill life’s vacuum with divine presence,
Too keen to leave behind all power and pelf,
And heart craves for an unending silence;
Ready thence you’re to embrace divine bliss,
To fill your life with fullness that is His.
_________________________________________________
Written on 18th April 2004, a Maundy Thursday, one of the three
sacred holy days forming the Christian spiritual calendar: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Mark
_________________________________________________
Sonnets | 13.04.04 |
Categories:
maundy thursday, introspection, spiritual,
Form:
Sonnet
Kirby's no Catholic, at least he doesn't believe
the Pope's infallible. Infallibility's for me,
the one he counts on for treats under the table
when no one is looking, or he trails me into
his mistress's laundry room, where
doggy perks are stored along with "Tide, Free &
Gentle, plastic containers of color safe bleach
destined for the King Size clean-machines
as good as any Laundromat on planet earth.
In the church of my persuasion, Thursday
of Holy Week is when parishioners, called for duty,
come forward on cue to sit on folding chairs
before God and the world, while a priest, kneeling
in his grandiose garments washes their feet
in the old way, (a bar of soap, "Dial" maybe,
"Don't you wish everybody did!", a basin
of water, a towel or three) as our Blessed Lord
demonstrated on his way to the tree.
Barefoot at bedtime, sleeping over
with those I love most, Kirby, senior citizen
of our family dog-dom, granted privileged access
to the end of my bed, takes sacramental care
of the object of his affections. My left foot
carefully washed, special attention
to the toes, (no thorns on this rose), are
hors d'oeuvres he does not sample
in his ample love.
Categories:
maundy thursday, pets
Form:
Free verse
Meek moments meet true love that flows,
Ask for the truth that sets you free;
Urge grace most sweet to help us know,
Note succinct proof that bids us see;
Dream with pure heart the way of poise,
Yeshua broke bread to feed the soul.
Touch that deep art as faith moves choice,
Heed unafraid as love makes whole;
Use your time well to live love's tell,
Reap what you sow as deed now scopes;
So breathe fond dwell as acts weave spell,
Dance fits the show to discern hope;
Apt memory lives love most fond,
Yield what you free as tact now spawns.
Leon Enriquez
13 April 2017
Singapore
Categories:
maundy thursday, change,
Form:
Sonnet
He came and dwelt among men
And shared a vision of heav'n;
To Him some opened their doors,
But more denied their favors.
With sinners He sat and supped;
Thus, others called Him corrupt.
But they did not understand:
He changed their hearts with His hand.
He walked and taught in byways
And always with gentle gaze;
Some gladly took His offer,
Others remained a scoffer.
Still He sought those who were lost,
Those who felt were tempest-tossed.
He healed the sick--gave them hope!--
Granted them the strength to cope.
He knew He had few days left
And sorrowed for those bereft;
In His heart, He put us first--
Both good and bad and the worst.
In spite of His love so clear,
We pierced His side with a spear.
Then as He drew His last breath,
For us all He conquered Death.
April 6, 2023
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Categories:
maundy thursday, death, forgiveness, jesus, religion,
Form:
Jueju
Sense how fear wields a heavy hand,
Observe the truth in simple stance;
Lies surely yield betrayal friend,
Expect harsh proof in violent chance;
Meet evil hence with love most meek,
Note peaceful grace in supper last;
Mind bad moves thence vain murder seeks,
Apt turn of face in anguish cast;
Urge for a while a leader's touch,
Notice the scourge that comes to burn;
Dread shadows style gloom here as such,
Yes Roman verge of law now turns.
Trust Spirit soul to show the way,
Hear twisted laws that judge and bind;
Use faith one whole to guide prompt say,
Reap violent flaws as ego signs;
See Jesus bound as soldiers come,
Defy the state with tragedy;
Ask love to ground as decree sums,
Yonder sad fate Mount Calvary.
Leon Enriquez
31 March 2018
Singapore
Categories:
maundy thursday, allusion,
Form:
Quatrain
This is the day
We break the bread
Cup full of wine
To numb the head
This is the day
When truth reveals
The veil of lies
A mind conceals
This is the day
We knew would be
That thorny cap
Of destiny
Awaits the king
Of hearts and minds
Releasing all the
Chain that binds
This is the day
A final feast
Then walk to face
The mighty beast
A farewell toast
A hug goodbye
Of knowing me
You will deny
We pivot now
Towards the end
Death's lonely path
My feet to wend
A different way
Would be so nice
Now suffering
To sacrifice
This is the day
We eat our last
So I can save you
From your past
So, go I must
My words they stay
New life awaits
This is the day
Categories:
maundy thursday, blessing, death of a
Form:
Rhyme
Ending
Of lentern endeAvour
Cross Shaped suffering
The resurrected breath of ChrisT
So Everyone is saved by the
Returning
Categories:
maundy thursday, christian, easter, forgiveness, god,
Form:
Ekphrasis
Rejoice!
Your death is nigh,
And your birth is close by.
There is no time for tears, of sorrow.
Your time of joy is here, two days from tomorrow.
by,
Martin Braun
4/9/2020
Categories:
maundy thursday, christian, faith, father son,
Form:
Rhyme