Thoughts about the Donkey

*** Narrative Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Mark 11:1-11 CLASSIC POEM: Palm-Sunday Henry Vaughan Come, drop your branches, strow the way Plants of the day! Whom sufferings make most green and gay. The King of grief, the man of sorrow Weeping still, like the wet morrow, Your shades and freshness comes to borrow. Put on, put on your best array; Let the joy’d rode make holy-day, And flowers that into fields do stray, Or secret groves, keep the high-way. Trees, flowers & herbs; birds, beasts & stones, That since man fell, expect with groans To see the lamb, which all at once, Lift up your heads and leave your moans! For here comes he Whose death will be Mans life, and your full liberty. Hark! how the children shril and high Hosanna cry, Their joys provoke the distant skie, Where thrones and Seraphins reply, And their own Angels shine and sing In a bright ring: Such yong, sweet mirth Makes heaven and earth Joyn in a joyful Symphony, The harmless, yong and happy Ass, Seen long before this came to pass, Is in these joys an high partaker Ordain’d, and made to bear his Maker. Dear feast of Palms, of Flowers and Dew! Whose fruitful dawn sheds hopes and lights; Thy bright solemnities did shew, The third glad day through two sad nights. I’le get me up before the Sun, I’le cut me boughs off many a tree, And all alone full early run To gather flowers to wellcome thee. Then like the Palm , though wrong, I’le bear, I will be still a childe, still meek As the poor Ass, which the proud jear, And onely my dear Jesus seek. If I lose all, and must endure. The proverb’d griefs of holy Job , I care not, so I may secure But one green Branch and a white robe . *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: The Poet Thinks About the Donkey Mary Oliver SNIPPET: On the outskirts of Jerusalem the donkey waited. Not especially brave, or filled with understanding, he stood and waited. How horses, turned out into the meadow, leap with delight! How doves, released from their cages, clatter away, splashed with sunlight. … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]