Glimpse Of The Resurrection Poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

Glimpse Of The Resurrection



She is 98 years old,
an old lady bound to a wheel chair
with pain on her face
as she tried to move her body.
She looked at me and said, “I am sorry,
I cannot do things anymore.”

An active woman in the past
who could not stand and wait
is now sitting helpless
only aided by her nurse
who looked after her
day and night, and by
her son in the house
who refused to hold
holidays outside because
of his mother's illness.

I told her: “You have
served us well for many
years; now is your turn
to be cared for.”
She showed a weak smile
on her face, maybe not well convinced...

Then she closed her eyes.
opened them up in few minutes
and closed them again
only disturbed by my right hand
which landed on her shoulder.

I just wanted to hear more
words from her mouth.
I asked her, “Why are you
closing your eyes often? ”
She said, “I am praying.”

In her I saw a glimpse of
the resurrection -
the inward hope in
body and soul from the
Resurrected Christ-
the guarded hope
even in the midst
of pain, old age and death.


__________

Monday, April 21, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: Easter
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
From April 14 to April 17,2014 I visited this woman, Elisabeth Becker in Germany, the woman who took me to her home as her daughter, even if I was a stranger- a young student in Europe. The way she dealt with her pain and consciouness of her end days always showed her faith in the Risen Lord.
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