Afternoon Nap of a Nine-year Old Son of a Carpenter

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

If Jesus be asleep among the blooms

In boyhood fields outside his tiny town

And wakes up from his nap (without his dooms

Within it), dozy Jesus will not frown.

Anemones of scarlet, purple, blue

Or white he blinks to see in front of him

Here as he wakes.  An iris that he knew

From earliest of days might cause a hymn

From angels as he opens up his eyes.

The Iris palestina may have been

A beauty that he sights beneath the skies

Of Nazareth, in napping childhood scene.

  No blossoms that he views will be like nails

    Of iron in color that with blood impales.

©  Phillip Whidden