A Trio of Deer

A Trio of Deer

(“I will also destroy the false gods and put an end to the objects of worship…” Ezekiel 30:13)

When did the roots dry up;
why were the lifeless crosses lifted like
national flags to salute?
There is nothing impossible, there is nothing there,
there is everything we hoped for, there is more than
thin air.
Where did the beautiful deeds go;
who snuffed out the lamps of a hundred hearts?
There are silences greater than the rants
just before noon
on Sundays. There are still dreams to
plant in the soil. There are still sundowns to watch
together while a trio of deer eye us curiously.

I walk the same route every day. I have now for
three years or more. I stopped by your house on my way,
I stopped and knocked less often than I should.
It is nearly a year since you have gone,
nearly a year since I sat with you in the silent hospital room.
But today, I swear it is true,
a trio of deer stood in your yard. A trio of deer that would
have caught your eye like
the cargo ships in the river you could see from your front window.

We both hated the idols, didn’t we?
We both stumbled more than most.
But we knew the difference, didn’t we,
between solid ground and dust.
We both loved too many, didn’t we?
We both felt unloved and wrongly.
But we knew the difference, didn't we,
between spinning tops and curiosity.

When did Jesus become the way we
crucify beauty? When did thoughtful contemplation
become a chargeable offense?

All I know, a trio of deer were in your yard today.
And one doe walked toward me, and I knew that made
you smile.