I read poetry every day… often by random authors as I page through a poetry anthology. But lately, I have been focused on one spectacular poet, Naomi Shihab Nye. I am fortunate that my library has LOTS of her books!
Today, with no explanation… one amazing poem by Ms. Nye.
I Feel Sorry for Jesus
by Naomi Shihab Nye
People won’t leave Him alone.
I know He said, wherever two or more
are gathered in my name…
but I’ll bet some days He regrets it.
Cozily they tell you what He wants
and doesn’t want
as if they just got an email.
Remember “Telephone,” that pass-it-on game
where the message changed dramatically
by the time it rounded the circle?
Well.
People blame terrible pieties on Jesus.
They want to be his special pet.
Jesus deserves better.
I think He’s been exhausted
for a very long time.
He went into the desert, friends.
He didn’t go into the pomp.
He didn’t go into
the golden chandeliers.
and say, the truth tastes better here.
See? I’m talking like I know.
It’s dangerous talking for Jesus.
You get carried away almost immediately.
I stood in the spot where He was born.
I closed my eyes where He died and didn’t die.
Every twist of the Via Dolorosa
was written on my skin.
And that makes me feel like being silent
for Him, you know? A secret pouch
of listening. You won’t hear me
mention this again.
I Feel Sorry for Jesus from You & Yours, Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye © 2005 BOA Editions, Ltd.
Thanks to Bonny for linking us all together! Stop and see what poetry is being shared today!
See you all here on Monday!
This may be one of the best poems I’ve ever read, Kat! Thank you so much for sharing it. My feelings about organized religion are “unsettled”, but for me, Naomi Shihab Nye gets it just right. Poetry that makes me laugh and think. I’m off to look for books of her poetry at my library.
Beautiful and instructive without being preachy. A favorite poet whose writing is shared frequently from the pulpit of our Unitarian Universalist church.
Ann, I’m so happy to find another UU here! Where’s your home congregation? I recently moved away from Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO (and have yet to find a new UU home…)
So good Kat…so freakin’ good!
I echo what Bonny said about organized religion and appreciate this poem for making Jesus relatable and not a figurehead.
Reading this, I can’t help but think of the movie Bruce Almighty, in which Jim Carrey becomes G-d and solves the problem of hearing everyone’s prayers all the time by converting them all into emails — only to have his inbox explode!
I love this poem, Kat. Thank you so much for sharing!
I agree with Bonny, one of the best! I have never ever thought of prayer in that way. Thank you always for sharing your poems with us.
Oh. Shivers.
I have read a lot of Naomi’s poems, Kat. But never that one. WOW.
XO
And I, too, stand with Bonny!
Nye is one of my favorite poets. I own many of her books but not the one that contains this poem. What a great perspective.