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Healing by Heart

Dear André, let me see your face
And cry out with you to lament
The rot of flesh and foul disgrace
You suffer, ulcered hands unbent.
Your body needs rebirth that’s meant
To cure your soul of leprosy:
Accept from the Omnipotent
Clear light in which the heart can see.

Bruno, come near the marketplace,
Not just to beg for nourishment.
You need not fear disgust will chase
Lame toeless feet off to prevent
Contagion, for the provident
God cares for you in courtesy.
He knows how vile disfigurement
Blinds eyes by which the heart can see.

And Carloman, you show no trace
Of cheer in gruff embitterment,
But sulk too far from my embrace.
I beg you, don’t be reticent;
I need you as my penitent.
Your words in secret fluency
Will make us gratefully content
For healing through which hearts can see.

I’m Elzéar, mere instrument
Refreshing fleshly brilliancy,
A lazar too, but confident
In Christ, the health your hearts can see.

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lazar: leper

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Margaret Coats lives in California.  She holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University.  She has retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.

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9 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    As you so beautifully expressed it, healing the heart is more powerful and important than physical disfigurement and healing of the body. The healing of both is best done by the Omnipotent one.

    Reply
  2. Rob Fried

    Margaret: This is a truly lovely poem, the sound and sense blend artfully but show no trace of “art for art’s sake.” I confess ignorance of where the names of your lazars are derived from. But the poem works!

    Reply
  3. Jeremiah Johnson

    I like the way Elzear addresses the children’s different personalities, fears and hesitancies – meeting them where they are individually, while at the same time recognizing God’s uniform grace to us all. Makes me think that, although Jesus “welcomed the little children” to come to him as a group – that doesn’t mean they were an indistinguishable mass to him – and nor are we!

    Reply
  4. Cheryl A Corey

    A very interesting poem. My first knowledge of the disease came from reading James Michener’s novel, “Hawaii”, where Father Damien, in treating lepers on Molokai, contracted the disease himself.

    Reply
  5. Paul A. Freeman

    A much misunderstood and stigmatising disease. I’m reminded from this poem of Princess Diana meeting AIDS sufferers during secret visits to hospitals, at night. When it became known by the media, the whole attitude to the condition changed in England.

    Thanks for the uplifting read, Margaret.

    Reply
  6. Warren Bonham

    A beautifully crafted poem, and another education for the rest of us who aren’t quite so learned.

    Reply
  7. Kevin Farnham

    The rhyme is amazing: each octet’s end rhyme matches end rhymes of the other octets, symbolizing that the same message is being stated to each of the individuals, just in slightly different expressions. The rhythmic effects are also beautiful, for example suggesting the stuttering walk/steps taken by Bruno. Brilliant!

    Reply
  8. Cynthia Erlandson

    I’ve never heard or read about this saint before, but you’ve told this story of compassion poignantly. I gather that Elzear wasn’t able to physically cure the others (or himself), but offered a spiritual cure for people’s hearts.
    I admire the way you were able to keep to only three rhymes, and keep the same interesting rhymes scheme throughout.

    Reply

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