Ash Wednesday 2000

Wednesday ashes – confession

these are the ashes of ancient trees
shaken by wind and earthquake
shattered by lightening blackened
stark skeletal scars of once
green growing hillsides

there are the ashes of rooms
and houses lost in flames
of accident or intent
with no chance to save
photos from yesterday picnics

these are the ashes of peace dreams
burned in furnaces fired with men women children
tossed out with other discards
their smoke clouding the sunrise
shrouding the earth in pain

these are the ashes dusting faces
of those who wake alone
everything everyone gone
with only mute traces of memories
running rivulets of falling tears

…silence…silence…

Wednesday ashes – reconciliation

these are the ashes of maple and oak
burned for warmth against cold
kept in pails until spring
when gardens are fed and transformed
grow and blossom

these are the ashes of palm branches
dried in a back church room
then ground and oiled
to mark heads and hearts
with truth and life

these are the ashes marking people
bent before mystery
and certain hope that somehow to winter
spring comes life returns
in an always impossible resurrection

David Kaiser
Visiting Professor at LTS 2000-2003