Post by shirley on Nov 1, 2012 20:53:55 GMT -8
Jesus in the Stairwell
I know what Jesus wouldn't do.
He wouldn't become a school-bus driver.
A hundred screaming, fighting kids
in a twelve ton beast hurtling through traffic.
Jesus would run late every day.
His hugs would break the “no touch” policy
As he comforted the kids
abused at home or bullied at school
He'd want to minister to the elementary kids
singing, “I'm sexy and I know it”;
I think he'd say, this is how you avoid corruption
of heart and mind, “Be a kid! Go play!”.
He'd speak face to face with middle school kids
about resisting peer pressure
and then hang around after drop off to
speak especially to the one contemplating suicide.
He'd pull the bus over to chat with high school kids
that “haven't been sober all weekend”.
And pray with the ones with inner strife, staring out the window,
hoping life gets better after high school
Jesus wouldn't last very long on the job,
So I invited him to hang out in my school-bus stairwell
He whispers words of encouragement to me
and when the kids are gone, we gossip and pray.
Shirley Diprofio
May 2012
When I was in college I attempted to write some poems that involved Jesus. I quickly learned that not everyone felt the same guilt of inadequacy towards God that I had been raised with. So I stopped writing about him. Actually, a poetry professor told me so very bluntly that nobody else cared. But recently God has been creeping back into my writing, though sometimes I wonder if my topics severely limit my audience. Here is to hoping not. Also I would like to give a special thanks to Chris, whose preaching one Sunday was the inspiration for this poem. Please take this as a compliment.
