With Tenderness Told

Tenderness took her into the dark,
into a garden outside the town,
up to a tomb carved from the hill,
alone to His grave, opened and still.

Tenderness spoke to His heart nearby,
spoke of her longing in dawn’s early light,
touched Him through the veil of her lonely tearfall,
told of her reverence, despite the bare grave’s insult.

Tenderness flowed with the words that she heard:
Why do you cry, Mary?  Why do you cry?
Didn’t  you know I was bound to rise?

I return to our Father;  see, I am the way!
His tenderness told,  Now don’t try to hold Me.
She murmured in wonder,  Oh, Teacher!  Rabboni!

first published in Poetry of the Spirit Anthology