Bleeding Limbs

Walking home from school
early morning still
past another house
a birch, a sapling,
by the edge of their yard, the sidewalk
the clear sap, large droplets
hanging heavy from bleeding limbs
three, maybe four, glistening arms
crying out, for the lack of understanding
the thoughtless cruelty
the arms pierced, broken without care

Like the arms of Christ, lifted up, pierced by the nails
the tears of pain, the blood he shed
thoughtless children, then as now
not knowing what they had done
and, like the branches, new life
even in the dying
renewal by the giver of all
the creator by His plan, by His design

Tears sparkling in the morning sun
like his sweat in Gethsemane
reminding me of his suffering
and of our hope,
in the grace of God

====

edited December 17, 2015

Bleeding Limbs – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/bleeding-limbs-v5.html

(merging edits to version 2 and version 4)

edited July 21, 2015

Bleeding Limbs – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/bleeding-limbs-v4.html

(editing original)

edited February 2, 2015

Bleeding Limbs – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/02/bleeding-limbs-v3.html

(editing version 2 and version 1)

new February 2, 2015

winter birches

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/02/winter-birches.html

edited December 17, 2015

summer birches – v6

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/summer-birches-v6.html

(editing original)

edited October 15, 2015

summer birches – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/10/summer-birches-v5.html

(editing original)

edited February 16, 2015

summer birches – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/02/summer-birches-v4.html

(merging edits to version 2 and original)

drafted February 11, 2015

edited February 10, 2015

summer birches – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/02/summer-birches-v3.html

(merging edits to version 2 and original)

edited February 2, 2015

summer birches – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/02/summer-birches-v2.html

about Mile Marker 213

Edinburg, ME

driving in Rte 95 southbound in northern Maine

new poem July 18, 2014

summer birches

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/07/summer-birches.html

driving in Rte 95 southbound in northern Maine

edited June 30, 2014

Bleeding Limbs – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/bleeding-limbs-v2.html

April 9, 2009

Bleeding Limbs

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/04/bleeding-limbs.html

Maundy Thursday

on the way home from Pembroke Village School

Maple and Prospect Streets

Suncook, NH

All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,380+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

birch trees, blood, branches, child, Christ, cross, dew, Easter, Faith, Gethsemane, God, Good Friday, grace, Messiah, UMC, prayer, sacrifice, savior, schools, tears,

#birch #trees #blood #branches #child #Christ #cross #dew #Faith #Gethsemane #God #grace #Messiah #UMC #prayer #sacrifice #savior #schools #tears