Monday, April 13, 2020

They Will Come



Photograph by Aleque Helms.


They Will Come

“Science reckons many prophets, but there is not
even a promise of a Messiah.”--Thomas Huxley.

“Nothing shall befall us, except what God has
ordained.”--Jesus Christ.

On Twitter yesterday: Yes, I have risen, yet again.
Tomorrow, I will make a public appearance in
Marfa, Texas--J.C. 

Why Marfa, TX, many thought? The tiny town made 
famous in 1956 when they filmed GIANT there. Good 
Friday , Easter, and now this? 

At dawn there was a fifty mile back-up of cars
streaming down the two-lane blacktop from I-10.
In the fairgrounds they found a stark pinewood
platform erected at the base of three 40’ crosses.

People came in masks, and they kept six feet
between themselves. They carried coolers, camp
stools and beach chairs. No one said a word. They
exchanged furtive glances, and watched the cloudless
blue sky. Soon there was tens of thousands gathered, 
there, like an inaugural. By twilight nothing had 
actually happened. The silence prevailed. No one
left and no one came on the bare platform.


Glenn Buttkus

Prosery

Posted over at d'Verse Poets Pub
at

13 comments:

  1. Jade LiApril 13, 2020 at 1:21 PM

    If "J.C." had shown up for these folks, what would it say about his daddy? Maybe we have God all wrong?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dwight L. RothApril 13, 2020 at 1:29 PM

    You have captured the futility of this so well in your story! I can see it now! They have more fun at the burning man gathering out in the desert!

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  3. Linda Lee LybergApril 13, 2020 at 2:31 PM

    Oh, but this is absolutely perfect Glenn!

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  4. KerfeApril 13, 2020 at 4:05 PM

    I hope no one takes that tweet and spreads it around...(K)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Lonely recluseApril 13, 2020 at 4:19 PM

    Would they have recognised him even if he did show up? I saw a photo of a statue of "the Homeless Christ" outside a church, Jesus, laying on a bench, homeless. One woman called the cops, thinking it was a real homeless person. Maybe we don't see what is, because we see what we expect.

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  6. Na'ama YehudaApril 13, 2020 at 4:41 PM

    Ah, J.C. might've tested positive and placed in quarantine ...

    ReplyDelete
  7. kateApril 13, 2020 at 5:43 PM

    Just perfect ... sheeple ... they came but no one saw!

    ReplyDelete
  8. A Reading WriterApril 13, 2020 at 11:42 PM

    relevant and powerful!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Petru J ViljoenApril 14, 2020 at 12:47 AM

    This reminds me of a short Tunisian movie called Obsession. It's a lark with a healthy dash of seriousness (read rationality) in it. Look it up, you'll love it I'm sure.

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  10. Kim M. RussellApril 14, 2020 at 4:00 AM

    It’s amazing what a simple tweet can do! A well-imagined hype, Glenn. I like the realistic detail of:
    ‘People came in masks, and they kept six feet
    between themselves. They carried coolers, camp
    stools and beach chairs.’

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gillena CoxApril 14, 2020 at 11:01 AM

    OMG
    good write, Glen

    Easter Blessings

    Much🌼love

    ReplyDelete
  12. brudbergApril 14, 2020 at 12:23 PM

    This is a tale that could very well happen... twitter announcement and the pandemic panic of pale riders can very well make this happen.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anthony BorderlinesApril 15, 2020 at 1:31 AM

    Good poem, all I can say I think have been said. The futility, the actual possibility that this might happen...Great write!

    ReplyDelete