Crocus

CROCUS

It takes courage to be crocus-minded
Lord, I'd rather wait till 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 up
through hard frozen ground and snow
sticking their necks out
because they believe in spring
and have something personal
and emphatic to say about it

Lord, I am by nature rose-minded
Even when I have
studied the situation her
and know there are wrongs that need righting
affirmations that need stating
and know that my speaking out
might even rock the boat
Well, I'd rather wait till June

Maybe things will sort themselves out
and we won't have to make an issue of it

Lord, forgive
Wrongs don't work themselves out
Injustices and inequities and hurts don't just dissolve
Somebody has to stick their neck out
somebody who cares enough to think through
and work through hard ground
because they believe
and have something personal to say about it

Me Lord, 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
Amen

[author unknown to me]