Rumors

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!"  Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

            When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,  Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?  Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray.  Many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray.  When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

- Mark 13:1-8

Did you hear the murmurs that things are going black

and lockstep war is coming that will horrify and crush

and there’s nothing you or the generals can do about it?

Did the gossip train roar by your way today

and Doppler-shift whistle that stars are disintegrating

and temples and towers falling while we watch with small eyes?

Did the word mushroom to your state that a virus leaked

and the military lost control of containment

and soon North Dakota will be silent and then South?

Listen: It’s all true, or it’s freaked out fearful chatter, or who knows, 

but then what anyway?  All is prologue and prelude, lift up your 

heart to the universe: the ultimate word and song are yet to come:

sonnets of peace, grace notes of lovingkindness, rumors spreading 

of Spirit filling up the desolate space between when all this 

cosmic crucifixion will rest and then rise a sanctified singularity