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Easter Monday
Luke 24: 13 – 35
With hearts eclipsed by Friday’s three-day night
And eyes still blinded to their master’s face,
They hear his sermon, senseless that his light
Has thrown the flames of hell to dark disgrace.
The evening sun begins to set its fire,
Their hearts to burn, the longing lenten night
To roll away, and dawning of desire
To rise, lit by a death-defying light.
His broken hands break bread in sacred rite;
Their sudden vision flares to brightest mirth.
Their blindness gone, he vanishes from sight;
And they, with fiery hearts, will light the earth.
from These Holy Mysteries, © 2005, Cynthia Erlandson,
and previously published (May 2020) in Forward in Christ
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Cynthia Erlandson is a poet and fitness professional living in Michigan. Her second collection of poems, Notes on Time, has recently been published by AuthorHouse, as was her first (2005) collection, These Holy Mysteries. Her poems have also appeared in First Things, Modern Age, The North American Anglican, The Orchards Poetry Review, The Book of Common Praise hymnal, and elsewhere.
Well done, Cynthia! In this poem of darkness and light, blindness and vision, especially concerning the effect of the turmoil on hearts, I like line 4, “his light/Has thrown the flames of hell to dark disgrace.” The Latin morning-light hymn for the Easter season has “Horrens avernus infremit,” which can be paraphrased, “Shuddering hell groans in useless rage.”
Thank you, Margaret! A blessed Easter Monday to you!
Cynthia, ‘Easter Monday’ is beautiful. I love the opening line with its poetic allusion to the eclipse during the crucifixion. I also like the images of fire and light, especially that ‘death-defying light’ – a wonderful linguistic nod to Jesus’ appearance that ties in with the fiery passion and the triumphant spread of light in the closing line perfectly. There are many gleaming treasures in this poem, a glorious piece that begs more than one read. Thank you very much indeed!
Thank you so much, Susan! Your encouragement means a lot to me!
A very powerful poem – really like the way it builds. Well done.
Thank you so much, James!