Three Poems by Robert Jewett
1. We
Entrust Ourselves, Mind, Body and Spirit (a creed)
2. Christ-Strider
3. Knowing
Back
to home page
We Entrust Ourselves, Mind, Body and Spirit
To the One...
who brought all
things into being,
sustaining in
life everything that is.
This is the Source, the renewing
Power,
beyond
comprehension, before all time,
bringing light
out of darkness, sense from confusion,
order from
chaos, and out of death life...
for us and for
all humankind.
Such promised hope and fullness of
life
was known to
our ancestors through timeless faith,
and, more, to
ourselves within our own age.
But we’ve
turned our back, relentless and proud,
though often
recalled by poet and sage.
Still, when the time came, the
moment just right,
there arose in
our midst, fulfilling all hope,
one born of
young Mary, Joseph’s new bride,
a Man fully
human like unto us
but, unlike us,
living ever with faith,
incarnating
here Fullness of Life,
illum’ning our
world with Light and with Truth.
Jesus, this “Christ” was anointed
with Power.
to call
everyone into fullness like his.
He healed the
diseased and cured many lame.
He welcomed the
outcaste, dined with the shamed
He counseled
the wise andheartened the poor,
confronted the
rich and challenged the strong,
and willingly
walked down his grim, steadfast path
to death at the
hands of those powers-that-be.
But they cannot claim the victors’
bright crown,
for from mortal
death he’s been raised to New Life!
Against that
dark world he now shines in Light!
From chaos,
afresh his community lives,
and labors anew
on his Way,
That this Truth may be, the Spirit
has come-
the wondrous
life-giver and guide in confusion,
worshiped and
cherished throughout all the ages-
come to unite
all believers as One,
commissioned
and cleansed in baptism’s love,
new-birthed out
of Self, from abuse and deceit.
and open to all
with true faith.
Emboldened in faith and empowered
in Christ,
we solemnly
pledge ourselves to proclaim
forgiveness and
hope, good news of salvation,
trusting the
Spirit will kindle New Life,
and Love will
prevail evermore.
Robert A.
Jewett
July 8, 2006
Back
to top
Christ-Strider
(set to ''Memory" from Cats)
Strider,
Christ who walks close beside me,
Christ my brother and healer,
Christ the Wisdom divine.
His hand rests on my shoulder,
ever urging me on,
Bringing comfort, bringing Life.
Ranger,
Guarding, guiding, and leading,
Ranging far out beyond me
Into regions unknown.
In his footsteps I pledge myself
to follow his way,
Onward pressing into life.
On the dust-strewn, torturous
pathway,
climbing ever towards sunrise...
Through dark clouds of numbing
doubt and loneness
his presence snug-wound 'round
me...
Champion,
Standing ever beside me,
Clad in honor so brilliant
No assault can prevail.
So protected, enheartened by his
constant support
I dare enter life's melee.
(Music half-repeat)
In stem courtrooms, by stank
bedsides,
on dim by-ways and wharves,
Stunning advocate and wayside
sent'nel
E'er watchful, wise, and
steadfast...
Christ... Lord!
You go ever before me,
Walk so quietly with me,
Guard behind and before.
Drive the wolves off, on
eagle-wings then soar in the Light.
Lift me with you into Life!
RA Jewett,
Waldoboro 08/06
Back to top
Knowing
Toward me-
relaxed, recumbent, stilled-
again the healer comes.
Unseen
but felt...
a presence sensed
of companionship, concern,
compassion.
Yet more it is,
I know.
I am moved to rise
and strew at his feet
petals of golden roses
or pink-edged lilies from the lakes
or silken-soft, iridescently
creamy lotuses, indeed-
could I find enough
hereabouts.
In awe and gratitude
and reverence
would I strew them before the path
of him who comes again,
and even kneel
to kiss his feet
in homage
and gratitude.
Except that would be too much,
too much sadly,
for this man who walks toward me.
Or-more appropriate an honoring,
it feels-
respectfully would I drape around
his shoulders
a scarf of purest silk,
straightforwardly scarlet,
as for someone who quietly moves
surrounded with an aura from beyond.
With passionate devotion
it would embrace his squared
shoulders,
and across his broad chest hang
down
long and gently folded,
maybe dangling three or four
tassels on each end
and perhaps
a tiny silver bell or two.
which every now and then could
lightly announce
to any near enough to hear
the awesome presence
of divinity.
Instead,
through my hot tears of
gratefulness
I laugh softly
And wonderingly muse,
"O Great One,
is it you coming toward me now
wearing Carnival-like
this wondrously human disguise?!"
Your hands arch over me, I know;
I feel their presence.
Your fingers lightly stroke my
heaving chest, I sense;
and peace like a Springtime dusk
flows quietly into my heart
as darkling clouds, once so
threatening, now flee across my sunset skies
like a routed pack of scruffy
neighborhood-terrorizing dogs
slink away into their night,
with heads hanging
and scraggly tails between their
legs.
These hands are his hands.
I know.
These fingers are his fingers.
I know.
It is his presence hovering over me
caring,
cleansing,
calling me forth
into new life.
I know.
But
constantly now I can see
the grey-feathered wings of your
Presence
stretching wide above and behind
me,
circling around and below me,
enfolding me with your caring,
protecting me with your closeness,
empowering me with your compassion.
Now, I see.
And, surely,
they have always.
I know.
... Still shaken in thought by
this Presence,
yet quieted in spirit by this
Truth,
I look up
into this gentle man's eyes.
With a sweeping gesture I move one
hand
from the crown of my head down
past the entirety of my body,
and I ask,
wishing it could be totally
without words at all,
"Do you understand?'
And-
without a word?-
while still my piercing gaze
presses into the cerulean purity of his eyes-
so calm,
so vibrant as they always seem-
I feel as though I am moving truly
through their steely softness
toward an answer that speaks from
far beyond their warmth.
He replies-
in absolute,
devouring,
holy
silence-
"I know."
Robert A.
Jewett
Damariscotta Chiropractic Center
Damariscotta,
Maine
December 12.
2002
Back to top