OPINION - Poems for Easter

I’m a writer and audio producer with the Christian charity Reach Beyond, and am interested in opening up reflection on faith and spiritual things in creative ways. We live in quite a wordy culture, so I like the potential of poetry for concision, imagery and humour. I hope in these poems, readers will find fresh perspectives to consider on the marvel of Easter. And that they’ll spark some joy too!

First Easter

Lost, alone, she stood there weeping
Grief and trouble lined her face
All the world, and hope, were sleeping
Of her Lord, now not a trace

Then the ‘gardener’ spoke her name
And in that sudden gleam of light
Hope ignited, like a flame
A baffled, bubbling joy so bright

Easter Unwrapped

Help me now please, and tell me the score - I’m properly wondering what Easter is for
Does the whole Jesus thing really have legs? For me up to now it’s meant chocolate - and eggs

It’s been all about, just purchasing choc, any deep meaning, I’d struggle to clock
I think my wee Sammy looks especially dapper, ripping up a beautiful choccy egg wrapper

As a kid, well I found it uncommonly funny, trying to outfox the ol’ sly Easter bunny
Wherever the delectable treasure was hidden, I’d find it for sure (usually unbidden)

If you’ve not been to church, or heard of a lectionary, if Easter means basically top end confectionery
It’s a bit of a shock, when it turns out instead, it’s all about a bloke who came back from the dead

At first when you hear it, it sounds proper bonkers, best left at school, like PE, and conkers
Offered a choice, to doubt or believe it, take it or leave? - no brainer, I’d leave it

You’d think lack of evidence would manage to sink it; recently though I’ve been made to rethink it
Before I thought ‘dead bloke alive’? that’s unsound; now I see pointers and clues all around

I used to be pretty blasé about spring, but new life from old? – it’s such a cool thing!
The plant from the bulb, the skylark that sings, a butterfly’s beautiful fresh-painted wings

But the dead resurrected? That’s simply odd; at least, till you reckon on the power of God
A spurious notion - or thing of renown? What gets me is, they turned the world upside down

A bloke in a grave, then suddenly ‘boom’, the promise of life lived out large, va va voom!
I’d so love to thrive, and more than just cope; I think I’ve a chance to - with this kind of hope

Continued below...

Hope Rising

The long Easter break – is it more than a reason
For some extra days’ break in the sunny spring season?
Join me a moment, bear with me now,
See what we’ll find if we pause a while, allow
The strange ancient story to speak once again
If we probe just a little, what will we find then?
Come, and together let’s ponder these accounts
Of odd, strange experiences, and faith – just an ounce…
Of women who in secret, approached a still tomb
Women, who in spite of their grieving, found room
In their hearts, to keep tending a frail shoot of love
For this man who’d seemed to shine light from above
They were the recipients of startling impressions
Of a stone rolled away, that triggered a confession
Of wonder, amazement, confusion and joy
A profusion of happiness, not covert or coy
That spread out like wildfire, set scared hearts ablaze
And triggered the birth of the church in those days;
Can mysteries shrouded by dark mists of time
Move us again, in a more sceptical clime?
Something that burns deep inside me this hour
Is a hunger, a thirst now, for resurrection power
There may be a ‘road map’ to lead us through trial
But where to find hope that lasts more than a while?
I long, yes I do, that every bruised heart
That struggles and thirsts, could find just a part
A portion, a helping of this marvellous thing
That like liquid gold fills my heart, makes it sing
That doesn’t endure just a short fleeting night
But like the sun soars through the spring morning bright

If you’d like to read (and hear) other poems by Bruce, visit his blog.