Sensitive to Smell
Jul 2nd, 2008 by John
Sensitive to Smell
by
John W Frye
They could have heard
a feather drop.
Quiet. Still. An eye blink a thunder clap.
She snapped the frail neck
of the valued jar.
Surprising, captivating smells assault their senses
pushing back musky odors of weary men
resting from the dusty heat of a turbulent Jerusalem day.
One of the men is Jesus,
anointed alive for burial by her.
“Outrage!” snort the Twelve,
calculating the cost of her crime.
“Beautiful,” replies Jesus, “she is gospel worthy.”
Timing, her most sensitive gift.
The Bethany Leper smiles, too, nodding his approval,
as alabaster pieces lie on his floor.
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Beautiful! It makes me feel as if I’m there.
Fred,
What an encouraging comment! Thanks.
Us disciples remain outraged – and we scream, to the Lord what about me?
Yeah, what about me? tremendously blessed and living in abundance, equipped to the full for the job in hand, to the lepers we must go.
John,
This is a great piece! My favorite line?
***Surprising, captivating smells assault their senses
pushing back musky odors of weary men
I’ve never imagined the smells of those who were in the room…I’ve thought about what the perfume might have smelled like, but never the people. Thank you for illuminating this beautiful story.
Blessings,
Shannen
Mark R,
I agree with you that we’ve seen the arrival and spread of a me-centered “gospel” in USAmerican evangelicalism.
Shannen,
Thanks for the delightful encouragement. I am glad that you liked the free-verse poem. Stop by again sometime.
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