This was now the third time
that Jesus appeared to his disciples
after he was raised from the dead
Peter and the others scrabbling on a deck
slippery with grief and guilt and bewildering
certainty that their twice seeing him alive
could not be true; resolved to seek steadying
in routine tasks, and fish Tiberias; as unyielding
as the tomb until the familiar Strange One
hailed them from the shore and Peter
recognising him braced himself against
the waters' chill and meeting him,
and dived – a Jacob to his Jabbok.
The wondrous catch ashore, they all
stood stiff and awkward by the breakfast
charcoal fire of shame; until he
who'd braved Death's deeps assailed
Peter wrestling him with words
and pinning him; with elegant symmetry
rhyming Peter's dive into his own Dying;
then with Jabbok blessing set him on
a yet more slippery deck to fish ‑ until
his welcome breakfast with him on the shore.
16 February 2013
© the Revd James M McPherson
Maryborough Qld
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