Crocus-Minded
by Jo Sorley
It takes courage
to be crocus-minded.
God, I’d rather wait until June,
Like wise roses,
When the hazards of winter are safely behind,
and I’m expected,
and everything’s ready for roses.
But crocuses?
Highly irregular.
Knifing through hard-frozen ground and snow,
and sticking their necks out,
because they believe in spring
and have something personal
and emphatic to say about it.
God, I am by nature rose-minded.
Even when I have studied the situation here
and know there are wrongs that need righting,
affirmations that need stating,
and know also that my speaking out may offend . . .
for it rocks the boat . . .
Well, I’d rather wait until June.
Maybe later things will work themselves out,
and we won’t have to make an issue of it.
God, forgive,
Wrongs don’t work themselves out.
Injustices and inequities and hurts don’t just dissolve.
Somebody has to stick her neck out,
Somebody who cares enough
to think through
and work through hard ground,
because she believes
and has something personal
and emphatic to say about it.
Me God?
Crocus-minded?
Could it be that there are things that need to be said,
and you want me to say them?
I pray for courage.
I had this comment sent my way via email and I was given permission to share it.
ReplyDeleteWow,,,, never considered the crocus angle
I am a bit outspoken and while I am comfortable in my own skin I always admired those who could journey without offending anyone. I ‘m not wired that way. I speak up and in doing so I sometimes offend. I try to conduct myself with compassion (or at least with passion) but I don’t always escape peeving someone off in the process. But now I see. The crocus is the first to speak up in spring and invariably it gets a bit battered for doing so. But it leads the spring. Not a bad price. I’m not afraid to be the crocus. At least now I have a better understanding. Thank you