He is risen! He is Risen!, poem by Peter Menkin
At the intersection of Easter
we wait with thoughts of new life,
the life of a baby, the life of the Baptized,
the life of the lamb, and the memory of slaughter,
of the death is fresh, but forgotten for the time
we say, He is risen! He is risen indeed!!
Those bones, those bones, those dry bones
are linked, renewed, given flesh, given life.
More than renewal, like freshness, like birth...
Out of the tomb, white as lightning, transfigured...
we are mystified, believers, quiet in surprise,
wondering at the miracle and hearing how the Apostles
told their friends the tomb is empty.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!!
The mind cannot fathom God's working, the promise,
we go on with the tale, this myth, this story
this reality after vigil, after waiting, knowing the end
does not come, for from generation to generation the day
is celebrated, as from everlasting to everlasting there is Christ.
Shall we say it the third time, Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy,
Lord have mercy. He is risen! He is risen indeed!!
Alleluah!
Freely is the offer made, freely we take the body and blood,
...we bless you in this freeform of sentences, for our creation,
preservation...above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption
of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; we share in his victory over death.