A Barren Fig Tree

*** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Luke 13: 1-9 CLASSIC POEM: Upon The Barren Fig-Tree In God’s Vineyard John Bunyan What, barren here! in this so good a soil? The sight of this doth make God’s heart recoil From giving thee his blessing; barren tree, Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be! Art thou not planted by the water-side? Know’st not thy Lord by fruit is glorified? The sentence is, Cut down the barren tree: Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be. Hast thou been digg’d about and dunged too, Will neither patience nor yet dressing do? The executioner is come, O tree, Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be! He that about thy roots takes pains to dig, Would, if on thee were found but one good fig, Preserve thee from the axe: but, barren tree, Bear fruit, or else thy end will cursed be! The utmost end of patience is at hand, ‘Tis much if thou much longer here doth stand. O cumber-ground, thou art a barren tree. Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be! Thy standing nor they name will help at all; When fruitful trees are spared, thou must fall. The axe is laid unto thy roots, O tree! Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be. *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: To the Fig Tree on 9th and Christian Ross Gay SNIPPET: the sound of sweeping and a woman yes with a broom beneath which you are now too the canopy of a fig its arms pulling the September sun to it and she has a hose too and so works hard rinsing and scrubbing the walk … [ READ THE FULL POEM