Peter no longer

Peter no longer                                                                                     
 
Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?”,
three times asked him . . . until something broke –
 
Peter no longer
hearing with his ears,
 
nor answering with his mouth,
but with the deep, core silence of perfect ruin.
 
You pose the same question,
silently circumventing our ears,
 
the interior Word, the trumpet call.
Once we learn Your silence,
 
we’ll hear You, at last –
and, contrary to our fears . . .
 
like Peter, soundlessly, emphatically,
with our ruined hearts answer, “Yes, Lord.  Yes!”
 
O child of God, your ears and throat are plugged with clay;
answer Meher with the totality of your spirit.
 
                                        (from A Jewel in the Dust, 2011)