Younger than Peter and James, you always
proved faithful, fearless in actions, quick to
join them, leave the fishing trade, follow ways
of the preacher and stay close. He sent you
and Peter to prep the last supper, kept
you near as he raised the bread. You followed
his arrest, held his mother as she wept
beneath the cross, were first to call hallowed
his resurrection, first to know him there
on Genesareth’s shore. Seeing Mary
desolate, you embraced her to your care,
decided on Asia Minor, carried
her there, wrote a book, letters. Exiled perhaps
on Patmos, you envisioned apocalypse.
Roger Armbrust
July 30, 2007
