Thursday, April 9, 2020

“How the Virus Stole Easter” A Poem by Kristi Bothur


I couldn't have said it any better than the way Miami City Ballet's Artistic Director said it: 

"In times of massive upheaval, of insecurity, of darkness, and of the unknown, artists and art will rise up to show what courage looks like and what resilience can do. This is what artists do, they lift people up to bring them closer to humanity, they lift people up to bring them closer to grace."  ~Lourdes Lopez 

Of course, I'm partial to the art of ballet, but that quote goes for any medium of art and I feel like now more than ever, it is poetry that is ministering to my soul the most in this season. Creators and artists everywhere are rising to the occasion to deliver hope to people with their talents and giftings. Lately, I keep stumbling upon emotion-evoking poems I can't help but not keep to myself, so dear readers, I hope you are not growing weary from all my poetry posts. Here's another one coming to ya today! I hope you love it as much as I do! Surely this one will make you smile. Let me know in the comments down below what you think about this awesome piece and how you feel about poetry in general! Enjoy!



How The Virus Stole Easter 

by Kristi Bothur
With a nod to Dr. Seuss 😊
(To be read in the rhythm of the "Grinch")
 

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began,
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy
 Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Poo poo to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that -
Let it start a revival.






Wasn't that fun? To check out more really amazing poems 
just hit the "poetry" tag below or on the right-hand-side column under "tags"
Thanks for stopping by!


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   More Optimistic Reads  

-  "The Gods of Men Are Falling" ~ by Roda Griffin
- "Cycles" ~ by Unknown 
- "God's Hall of Fame" ~ by Walt Huntley

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