THE FOUR OF THEM

"FOUR children, representing our Saviour, St. JOHN, an ANGEL and a little GIRL."
I haven't seen the picture being described. Just as well, though.
I like honest bafflement and can well imagine the author,
Richard Cowdry, studiously working things out. "This one
Must be Jesus; he's holding two sticks crossed. And this one, a bit older,
Is probably John Baptist -- he has a honeycomb and is splashing Jesus.
Alright, the next one, looking rather weary, has small wings; call him an angel.
And then there is ... there is ... there is ... a little GIRL. Why
Are Jesus, St. John and an angel hanging about with a little girl?
Perhaps they’re bored with each other; perhaps they hope she will
Soon tell them a story that will simply amaze them."

SATURDAY'S POEM

Maybe it was the hair shirt; then again

Perhaps the locusts he ate while he was alive

Do not sit easy in his stomach;

John the Baptist’s mood has been bad

For better than two thousand years. The angels –

Those who don’t still regret our making –

Worry that, his power waxing on St. John’s Day,

He may undo the world. As June 24^th approaches

St. John cannot walk down a street in Heaven

Without being hailed into a bar (You thought

There were no bars in Heaven? Infidel!

What sort of place would it be without bars?)

He’s plied with wonderful beer, glass after glass.

Angels carry him home to sleep it off. The world

Totters on for another year.  June 25^th is St. Eurosia’s,

The patron of bad weather. To soothe John’s feelings

Her day will be wet and grey and full of thunder.

Coming soon: a story about Mot

To my German reader: Thanks for reading!

To the singular Venezuelan: Bless you!