By Vincent Van Gogh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\u00a0<\/p>\n
Are the irises dead<\/p>\n
Have they lost their bloom?<\/p>\n
Are they shrunken and shriveled<\/p>\n
Are they gone so soon?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Is their deep purple less<\/p>\n
And their curl no more?<\/p>\n
Have the irises drooped<\/p>\n
Taking color from my world?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Or do they live<\/p>\n
In rich purple blues?<\/p>\n
Do they sand alert<\/p>\n
Catching spring\u2019s early dew?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
First the bold crocus breaks<\/p>\n
Hard winter\u2019s dirt<\/p>\n
Then the scented hyacinth<\/p>\n
With springtime flirts<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
And my irises stand<\/p>\n
At attention so brief<\/p>\n
Beside the lingering tomb<\/p>\n
Of my holy week<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Easter! It bursts<\/p>\n
Through a vigil dark<\/p>\n
The new fire sparks!<\/p>\n
Ancient faith is rebirthed.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alleluia! Trumpet the lilies<\/p>\n
So white like snow<\/p>\n
Christ is risen! Christ IS risen!<\/p>\n
We proclaim, we KNOW!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
And the lovely velvet irises<\/p>\n
Silently bow and fold<\/p>\n
To return another springtime<\/p>\n
When my earth is cold.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013 Sister Rose Pacatte, 1997<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wrote this poem on Good Friday that year, while recovering from major surgery and after learning that morning that I had MS.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nWhat did it mean? What does it mean? All I know is that I am still here and once again, Easter comes when we cry out, \u201cHe is risen! He is risen as he said!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThe message this Easter: \u201cRemember the poor.\u201d What does this mean?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/em>Easter blessings to one and all and joy that we are all here, together, in the Risen Lord, and grace abounds.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\nR<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 Are the irises dead Have they lost their bloom? Are they shrunken and shriveled Are they gone so soon? \u00a0 Is their deep purple less And their curl no more? Have the irises drooped Taking color from my world? \u00a0 Or do they live In rich purple blues? Do they sand alert Catching spring\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[2838,2837,2840,2836,2839,1412,2834,2835],"class_list":["post-5081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grace","tag-blue-irises","tag-easter-flowers","tag-easter-poetry","tag-easter-prayer","tag-purple-iris","tag-sister-rose","tag-van-gogh","tag-van-gogh-irises"],"yoast_head":"\n
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