Road to Emmaus

The following is a 25 minute video reenacting the journey on the road to Emmaus described in Luke 24.

Luke 24:13-35 KJV13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Hope

If hope should have small penguin wings,
We’d doubt how well it flies.
We want perspective on what’s true
To filter out the lies.

Alternatively, we may feel
It’s wings are fit to soar.
No matter what we think we know
We’ll trust that it knows more.

That’s why we let the present be.
Hope may fly through gray,
But when we know we’re good and lost
We hope and find some way.


Text: Linked to dVerse Meeting the Bar. Jill Lyman is hosting asking for a response poem. This poem is a response to Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers”.

Photo: “This bird knows I’m watching it”, above, and “I don’t blame this bird for flying off”, below.

I don't blame this bird for flying off
I don’t blame this bird for flying off

Cloudiness

Circling rain from hurricane
Leaks through the wrecked roof.
Only hope can drain:
Up comes wavy proof
Drowning the dry place
In torrential waste.
Nightmares blocking bliss
End with fear and pain.
Sink with thoughts of only this.
Sink in wet of wider rain.


Linked to dVerse Quadrille Monday hosted by Bjorn using the word “bliss”. I am thinking of Hurricane Harvey.  The poem also represents the “acrostic” form which I plan to use for this Thursday’s dVerse form prompt.
Photo: “Cloudiness” by the author linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “A Cloudy Configuration”.

Butterfly Feeling

In Spring the heart-throb butterfly
Makes lovers stop to touch and sigh
While others watch them passing by
Excited without asking why.

Though it may be a silly thing
When butterflies are fluttering
It’s better than what Winters bring
When frozen hope lacks warmth to sing.


Linked to dVerse Open Link Night hosted by Grace.
Photo: “Flowers in a Pot” by the author

Flood

I’d rather be up here somewhere
Than in that river rushing on,
Dissolving tears without a care
And draining hope till it has gone.

With hope removed, sent off to sea,
The body stumbles far behind,
Soon mindless without misery,
A plaything for some nymph to find.


Linked to dVerse Poetics hosted by Paul Dear with the theme “The River”.

Hide and Seek

My intuition’s been off-cue
Slipping on fresh stress.
It should have had a cleaner view,
Not made, but dodged, this mess.
Deep paths entangle. Hope gets through.
Some guiding pebbles show.
I’ll seek if I may hide with you.
Those demons need not know.

Written for dVerse Quadrille #20 using the prompt “cue”.


Image: Frank Hubeny, “Left Turn”

As Despair Grew Weary of Despair

Once upon a time in a wood
Where a brook flowed and ancient trees stood
It was dark with despair
Then a rose blossomed there
Through its thorns bringing hope where it could.

Written for the Limerick Challenge Week 24: Once Upon a Time.