Thursday, January 9, 2014

That Vaporing Apostle


Some accuse Paul of being smug
in his own suffering with all that talk
about things working for good.

He preached a gospel of loss,
a reductionist view of hoarding
that Augustine admired.

If the man with three juicy Bartlett pears
drops one from the hole in his bag,
he will treasure the other two

more completely. If the wind comes up
and knocks the bag from his hand
to the river below, he'll watch the pair

float away leaving the image of taste
in his mouth, desire on the bulbous
nerve endings that line his maw.

Will he be richer for his loss
as imagination pares the ruddy skin
holding the juice within the fruit?

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