There’s a swamp of secrets here
stretching as far as the eye can see.
Secrets, crossed over with lies, half-submerged,
the muck of deception clings close
and there is something rotten in the state of grace.
You speak about your life, lightly,
and politely comment on the weather.
Your eyes tell a different story.
You are mired here, bone-mired,
in mud that will not let you go.
You are trapped and alone
and this may be the end.
It’s no good talking about the wise man
who built on the rock.
It’s no good talking about the disciple
who walked on the sea.
It’s no good talking about the tree
planted by streams of living water.
What we need is a Jesus
like an amphibious tank
a thousand horsepower strong
roaring into view
spinning mud like geysers
clambering across every obstacle,
against all odds,
in this bleak landscape
a vehicle of hope.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.