Climb the rugged beam to see the scurry of life around the tree: lion and baby, adder and lamb, sheltered in this outstretched hand. Thick with promise, the leaves gather birds and the birds whisper secrets in long-forgotten words. Turn your ear from self to sky to hear the heavens in reply: There’s hope forContinue reading “Advent 4: The Fruit”
Tag Archives: stump of Jesse
Advent 3: The Branch
Kingdoms fall from might; panelled houses cannot keep out the flood. The humblest stump brings forth the branch and a little child leads the animals’ dance. As the baby rests its head in the nest, the greenest hope turns to solid twig, and then as firm and fixed branch. Reach out: these arms reach outContinue reading “Advent 3: The Branch”
Advent 2: The Shoot
When You come back again Would You bring me something from the fridge? (Steve Taylor & Peter Furler, “Lost the Plot”) Remember praise? It fed your roots back when you learnt to crawl, back when you burrowed into soil eager to receive all the earth had to say. And today? Defeat is the last refugeContinue reading “Advent 2: The Shoot”
Advent 1: The Stump
If no good as a tree – no fruit budding, no birds to rest in its shade – then cut it down. The wood may serve for a building or, at the very least, a fire. Get in first before inferno comes; better to be a stump when the fires rage. Resignation rests in theContinue reading “Advent 1: The Stump”
The Consolations of Writing 