1. |
I
05:06
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on the mountain, we stopped to sleep
and to eat, to wash off the sweat, to
take off our shoes. we fell asleep,
woke up to a sound like bells, like
brass striking brass, like if wind had
a tune. Jesus in white, he was shining
like water, its shimmering top, two
others like dolphins, like hawks, like
brothers, holding his hands, clasping
them with theirs. they were
telling all the secrets, discussing the
mysteries, renewal of the cosmos,
the wholeness all at once, and I couldn’t
bear to hear it, couldn’t keep my mouth shut
so I squeaked some words,
they turned to look,
their burning eyes on mine.
And I saw Jesus, saw his face for the
first time without needing something from him.
I saw him from the inside of the cloud.
I saw him from the top looking down.
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2. |
II
02:41
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on the mountain, we stopped to sleep
and to eat, to wash off the sweat, to
take off our shoes. we fell asleep,
woke up to breakfast being cooked,
little cakes, flakes of snow, some quail.
and we ate. I’d had a dream where I built
a tent like the tabernacle with elaborate rooms,
tables and chairs, panes of glass,
gold and copper and bells, different pitches.
in the dream I was thirsty and there was water to drink.
in the dream we had skin that shone.
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3. |
III
00:24
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why can’t we live in this glorious place?
tell me why we must leave!
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4. |
IV
02:19
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did they mean for me to see them?
all three of them glittery and singing,
a choir, it felt like I could join the song.
I knew the words. I stood, made a sound
and they stopped their singing to listen to me
speak foolishly. they listened with an openness
that made me walk right into the cloud with them
where the song resumed and I sang it too.
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5. |
V
02:45
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I stayed up all night while Jesus prayed, with
colors behind my eyelids as I listened to his
shuffling feet, he always paced. no place
on earth I’d rather be than the quiet of this
mountain with Jesus near, walking
in circles through the inky night.
this is what I know of eternity.
when I open my eyes, more stars than there
should be and I can’t close them again.
I watch the multiplication. I feel it last
forever.
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6. |
VI
00:41
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I wasn’t surprised to see him
shine like that. I’d seen him
look that way before, once or
twice, walking on the road,
talking about the scriptures,
talking about the future.
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7. |
VII
02:47
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as he was praying, the
appearance of his face
changed and I started from
my sleep and froze to watch.
he was bright and how could
I breathe? the moment before an
explosion, something terribly wrong, the
ringing in your ears just after or before?
he multiplied from one to three but
the others were not him.
their backs to me, and I’m
alone in myself, I can hear
what they’re saying and it
makes no sense to hear their
ordinary voices, laughter,
Jesus breathing.
the wonders I’ve been witness to
are hard to say in words. shouldn’t
I come to expect exactly things like this?
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8. |
VIII
01:31
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we went up the mountain
because he likes to be up above
when he prays. he likes to see
far, watch birds in flight.
he told me that as we
climbed up, breathing hard,
just two hours ago.
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9. |
IX
03:38
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up on the mountain, at the top,
Jesus stood and faced us and
his body became something new,
his skin shone and his clothes
became bright and white, a man like a
diamond, like a prism, like a wind chime,
he rang like a bell. the new wine suddenly
bursting the old wineskins, exploding
with warmth, said nothing, just
shone, the birds were silent, the
hawks and vultures landed to watch.
Jesus whispering with Elijah
and Moses who touched his back,
like brothers after some time apart.
I stood, wet with sweat,
hardly breathing, looking at Jesus.
he looked how he looks in my
dreams.
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10. |
X
03:35
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I wanted to build a tent on the top of
the mountain. I wanted to stay there,
why would we leave? I wanted your
clothes to be white like they were
forever in that high place where
the air stood still.
I wanted to see you and, more, to be
seen. watch me ascend, find the top of
the mountain. I am bright, I’m above,
I’m amazed and aloft. don’t make me go
down there, don’t make me pretend that
this never happened when my skin’s shining too.
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11. |
XI
01:38
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woe is me, for I am lost.
my lips are unclean, I speak
of tents in the presence of god,
unthinkable glory and I make plans,
imagine fabric and poles.
o save me, I am lost.
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12. |
XII
01:28
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on the mountain, we stopped to sleep
and to eat, to wash off the sweat, to
take off our shoes. we fell asleep
as Jesus prayed and woke up to
the dawn of his body, the morning
came sudden in him.
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13. |
XIII
01:43
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on the mountain, we stopped to sleep
and to eat, to wash off the sweat, to
take off our shoes. we fell asleep
and woke up in the future, everything
exactly like he said it would be,
and I heard myself shouting,
“please stay like this!”
but he didn’t, he didn’t.
he stopped dazzling when
the cloud covered him.
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14. |
XIV
02:53
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up on the mountain, at the top,
Jesus stood and faced us and
his body became something new,
and I was there to see, kept the
sweetest secret for years, the way
his glory looked, the vision of
his shining face.
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