Poetry Pick

RESURRECTION

by Erin Noteboom


The women (Mary Magdelene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome) turned and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment.
— Gospel of Mark


As they ran their hands shook, oil sloshed
from jars and spice from fingers, and shadows
fled before them, cast by the angel,
and their teeth chattered. Birds swooped down
for seeds, sparrows and finches and graveyard mice
bright-eyed and wild. The path was rocky and Salome
ripped one sandal and her blood scattered
and sprang up in great branches, olive and myrtle,
dogwood in white blossom, until the hill was veiled
and bridal. The oil anointed stones with river-colour
until they made a river: first
a trickle, then braided runnels
like the inside of a wrist, and then
the mouth of the tomb became
the womb of rain.

From Seal up the Thunder (Wolsak and Wynn, 2005)


 

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