An Easter Poem

 

In an interview on the occasion of being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Maya Angelo expressed her faith and doubt in this way:

 

“I’m always amazed when people walk up to me and say, ‘I’m a Christian.’ I think, ‘Already? You already got it?’ I’m working at it, which means that I try to be as kind and fair and generous and respectful and courteous to every human being.”

https://www.saltproject.org/progressive-christian-blog/2019/2/6/maya-angelou-on-being-christian?rq=Angelou

Angelo's words inspired me to write this poem. 

I’m working at it.

 

My faith is

Incomplete

I’m not there,

yet

It may sound,

Cliché

I’m on a journey

With faith

and with doubt

 

I heard the news, that

The tomb was

Empty

 

Mary stayed close

She encountered

Her name

Being spoken

With love and hope

 

Renewing her life

A mysterious gift

Of his implausible

presence

 

But,

 

I’m not there yet

I’m working at it

I’m a work in progress

 

Trying to believe, and

Trying to live

As if it matters

That Jesus rose

 

I am trying,

as I live,

to live with

 

Kindness

Being fair

Giving generously

 

To live

 

Respectfully,

Courteous to

Each and every

human being that I encounter

                               

And as I do so

 

Longing also

to hear

my name spoken

 

To have my life

Renewed by the

Mysterious gift

Of his implausible

presence

For,

He is risen.

 

But,

 

I’m not there yet

I’m working at it

I’m trying to live

With courage

And with hope.