Guest guest Posted February 12, 1999 Report Share Posted February 12, 1999 > Fri, 12 Feb 1999 05:43:16 -0800 > NondualitySalon > Madhya Nandi <madhya (AT) mail (DOT) aracnet.com> > [NondualitySalon] Re: A Meditative Candle > Cc: > Bcc: > X-Attachments: > > > Friends; > > The comment that Melody made about the Interstate jamming up > reminded me of this poem that I wrote: > > > > > Christ Climbed Up > or, > The Silent Sermon > > > > > > He is that Man, > a God-person: > "Jesus," whom some > years ago I put aside > but last night > in a dream > awakened me > to a scene on > Interstate Five, jammed, > horns blaring, driver's > heads poked out windows, > "What the fuck's going on > here, goddammit?" > > Someone shot a pistol-- > "Crack!" into the air. > Few noticed. "Hey, > watch it with that > thing, buddy." > > In a matter of moments > dark clouds began > to gather and thicken. > Headlamps popped on > illumining license plates and > rear view mirrors. > Distant thunder sounded, > rumbling closer. Horns > improvised an acerbic > dialogue. Flashlights glowed > like lasers or maybe > vorpil swords. > > > Rain began and hail came > with windshield shattering > force. A firefight of lightning > waged in the in-country of > feuding clouds. > > As every eye turned skyward, > the earth groaned and heaved, > opening a crack belching > green and purple mists. > > Fingers appeared first, > grappling the wet asphalt-- > a head followed, bald > on top, but indeed, a beard, > long and dark, peppered > with mud. > > The Redeemer pulled his > body up and onto I-5. > > Horns died in a cascade > around the man. Lights > flashed in his face. > His hands shielded his eyes. > "Hey, cool it, assholes," yelled > a compassionate motorist. > The beams shifted onto > Jesus' wet, dirty pajamas. > He wore no underwear. > He lowered his hands and > squeegeed water from > his bullet-smooth head. > > Bending from the waist, > the Savior gripped each > side of the fuming crack and > muscled the blacktop shut. > > Jesus sighed. > > He looked at the mass of > stalled automobiles, > six lanes north, > six lanes south. > > He began to speak. > No words came. His lips > moved but no sound emerged. > > "Louder, talk louder!" > said a woman's voice. > "We can't hear you." > He cranked up his body. > I saw his neck strain with > effort--"Must be shouting," > I thought. Still no sound. > > "Hey, put up or shut up, > dude," a voice shouted. > "Yeah." "Yeah." A refrain > of agreement. > > Jesus stopped speaking > and his gaze swept > the drenched crowd. > A horn began to wail. > Jesus raised an arm and > motioned us to follow. > > He threaded his body > between steaming cars and > off onto the shoulder. > People watched him climb > the fence dividing I-5 from > the cement viaduct headed > toward the Pacific. > > Jesus paused, straddling the > fence. Barbed wire tore his > skin open and when a hand > signaled us to come along, > we saw blood seeping from > the wounds. > > > Christ climbed down into > the littered, barren canal. > > I watched a million motorists > drown in expectation as Jesus > walked across the littered aquaduct. > > A little ways out, he turned > a third time, raising his arms > in a "Come follow me" gesture. > > Autos came to life. > Engines sputtered and roared. > The rain stopped. Clouds parted. > A few of us watched the distant > Voice in the Wilderness hike up > the slippery embankment > a quarter mile away. > > Ten minutes later cars had > moved into currents and twelve > lanes of freeway again flowed. > > A woman, and man and myself, > watched the shadow figure > climbing a second fence and > dropping off beyond. > The woman said, "You know, > that's the second time this has > happened to me-- in the last > six months. What are the > odds of that, do you think?" > "Don't ask me," I said, > "I'm not really here." > The woman shook her dripping, > blonde head. She walked off, > muttering. "Second time in six > months. Unbelievable." > > The man on my right said, > "If you're not here, I'm not > here, either." He dodged > speeding traffic to reach his > > > vehicle still blocking the > southbound diamond lane. > I had no car, of course, > asleep all this time. > > > In the morning, I woke > with a pounding headache > and a cloud of exhaust > hovering over the bed. > > I crossed my legs to > meditate and surrendered > time to the throb > behind my eyes. > Pain receded and emptiness > began to accumulate. > Thoughts, like wisps of > high clouds, floated, > disappearing. > Some time later, the > still, wordless Voice of > Jesus came, > and I followed. Madhya Nandi > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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