bound by iron
long beyond dead
amphitheatre visited
by graffiti artists and
night-time drunks
Tasso's oak remains
that hillside sentinel
overlooking his beloved
Roma, city of his dreams
where beneath lost leaves
he pondered poems, epics
an imagination once living
which long since penned
verses of love and war
that sometimes escape
the page to live again
while on that *****
beneath dead wood
trapped by iron's bond
quercus sapling grows
a new oak for Tasso


25th April 2025
Roma

shame
etched deep in my soul
they all blame the betrayer
named him such through history
but he was honest in his betrayal
faced him, marked him with a kiss
eye to eye the deed was done
but me, for all my bold bluster
I'd run away, denied I knew him
not once, not twice, three times
my friend, three years followed
called him Messiah, the Christ
Jesus, denied I even knew him
so which betrayal is greater
I know my shame

after it was over
death, strange days following
Marys first, then meeting him alive
trying to work my head around it all
back to Galilee where it all began
trying to get a handle, fishing
breakfast on the beach
we know it's him
I know

eating done
a long awkward silence
which he breaks, "do you love me"
he asks, looks me in the eye, asks me
"you know I love you" muttered head down
silence you could cut, then "do you love me"
irritated, angry even, "you know I love you"
longer pause, waves lapping, fire crackles
"do you love me", not brotherly love now
but agape, self-giving love, his kind
"do you love me", thrice denied
now three times he's asked
my shame biting deep
"you know everything
you know I love you"
no condemnation instead
each time a commissioning
"feed my lambs", "take care of my sheep"
"feed my sheep", a shepherd's task and work
for me, forgiveness going beyond my shame
time to start over, whatever that means


Friday of Easter Week
25th April 2025
following John 21.15-19

go fishing, he suggested
night fishing of all things
I hate fishing, always have
could never see its attraction
but it's like a default reset for him
don't know what to do, go fishing
stuck for what to think, go fishing
Peter's 'run home to mama' mode
still we needed to get out of town
time and space to think, to decide
work out what on earth we do next
night fishing was good for that
at least we thought it would be
but the thinking and the talking
went no better than the fishing
round and round in circles
not a single bite, not a fish
no ideas about what next either
just lots of 'what ifs', nothing else
no fish and too much hot air

so there we were, out on the lake
sore, stiff, talked out, frustrated
still no fish and dawn approaching
a flame flared on the beach
someone lighting a fire
we could see him moving around
silhouetted against the flames
then a voice calling over the water
we can't have been far off shore
"try the other side"
should have heard Peter chunter
"who does he think he is
'try the other other side'
been a fisherman all my life
'try the other other side'"
but then something clicked
could almost see cogs turning
suddenly Peter's hauling nets
calling to Andrew for help
throwing them over the other side
the boat takes a lurch
tips over, lines taut, net full, fish
Peter shouting "get them landed"
leaping over the side
splashing fast for the shore
and the clock's spinning back
like some kind of time machine
that other catch, that other beach
we know who he is, the voice
the man calling across the water
calling us to breakfast, and ....


Thursday of Easter Week
24th April 2025
following John 21.1-14

it had been a bad week
seemed as if he wanted trouble
saying what he said, doing as he did
he knew how to push all their buttons
challenging their authority, their rules
putting them on the spot, no evasions
never backing off despite their anger
it was no surprise he was arrested
mock trial, ******* up charges
guilty verdict, a cross and death
we'd tagged him as the Messiah
but now he's dead, buried, gone
well there was some crazy story
the Marys said they'd seen him alive
but who'd believe that, as I said, crazy

that's what we told him
when he fell in step along the way
travelling with us to Emmaus
listened to all we'd had to say
then started unpicking our story
for everything we'd mentioned
had an explanation, gave a reason
why it had to happen that way
what was really going on
how it fitted into God's plan
explained it from the scriptures
like he was giving us a lesson
Jesus 1.01, the real story

near Emmaus it started getting dark
he was going on but we'd a room, food
so we invited him in, things may change
but hospitality's still usual, our norm
as a guest, we asked for his blessing
so he blessed and broke the bread
did the same for the wine, shared it
and suddenly we recognised him
as if our grief had made us blind
how could we have missed it
like that last supper once again
it was Jesus, and he is alive
chance meeting, no chance

couldn't leave it there
hot-footed it back to Jerusalem
had to tell the others, the disciples
said our piece in the upper room
but it was all a bit redundant
we'd no sooner told our tale
than he turned up there too
living, breathing, wonderfully alive
yet despite all that he'd said
its hard not to have questions
all kinds of puzzlements
and whose going to answer them


Wednesday of Easter Week
23rd April 2025
following Luke 24.13-35

Easter Monday
he is not living, he's dead
other realities pending
Il Papa, Holy Father, the Pope
this was his home, his basilica
St Peter's, heart of a church
they'd known he was poorly
prayed for him even
and now he's died
a few flags flying at half mast
Carabinieri out on the streets
world's news teams gathering
stories to be told, vox pops recorded
'I was there when the news broke'
yet Rome goes on, normale
as usual tourists everywhere
pilgrims on Via della Conciliazione
school trips snake through crowds
cafes, restaurants ply their trade
buses and trains keep rolling
Roma to play Inter Milan

the Pope is dead
a conclave will gather
black smoke, then the white
and a new one will be elected
for now more important questions
dust off the plans, make new ones
prepare for the influx, the bookings
ready the beds, plan for extra supplies
what's it going to do to the traffic
how will it affect my commute
been here before, will again
life goes on, it has to
long live Il Papa


22nd April 2025
Stephen Cooper
Rome

you couldn't blame us
doors locked, windows barred
they'd arrested Jesus, killed him
how long until they'd come for us
only Peter and John had ventured out
check the women's story, unbelievable
empty tomb, angels, 'he is risen'
yet it was just as they'd said
but what to make of it

then there he is
standing among us
do we touch, can he speak
is he a ghost or is this really him
'how about something to eat'  he says
fish cooked, he eats, no hallucination
you can still see the marks of the nails
flesh and blood he's alive, we know it
it can't be true but it is, we've seen
what does it mean, dead, alive
and then he's gone

resurrection's synagogue talk
end times, God's final judgement
but this is real, this is now, Jesus
what are we to make of it all
who'd believe us anyway
need to think it through
all that he had to say
a lot to take on board
to get a handle on
so where to begin
and is the place to do so
behind locked doors


Tuesday of Easter Week
22nd April 2025
following Luke 24

scenes glimpsed almost frozen
while life goes on around
passing at speed, never resting
those stop-motion moments

supper
garden
betrayal
arrest
trial
Pilate
sentence
scou­rging
cross
nails
theives
mother
forgiveness
death
spear
burial
s­tone
guards
morning
tomb
empty
body
gone
angels
"he is not dead
he is risen"
meeting
alive

how to comprehend
the incomprehensible
to haul on board
reality beyond understanding
except that it was, it is, it will be
we saw, we touched, we spoke
we witnessed, we know


Monday of Easter Week
21st April 2025
following Mark 16.1-8