If There Had Been Prophets

September 13th, 2012

On those suffered banks we sat down and wept. 
There the prophets, if there had been prophets,
would have baptized us in fire. Who says impossible
they fill his mouth with ash, they quench him
as if a man could be made steel. A crooked way
the world wends, and the rivers, and the prophets.
Go down and tell them what you have seen:
the the river burned and was not consumed.*

 

And then join me, won’t you, in being all verklempt?

*from River on Fire by Dave Lucas