Thursday 24 September 2009

A Square Peg in a Round Hole


A square peg in a round hole
A spiritual misfit
Never fully belonging
Never quite at home

Always one step ahead
or one step behind

The cynical edge
The questioning glance

Is this what it means
to be a prophet?
Is this what it means
to be a disciple of the Son of Man
who had nowhere to lay his head?
Is this what it means
to be a follower of the mendicant misfit
who said: 'A prophet has no honour at home'...?

But
Maybe
a prophet with honour is never at home...
Maybe
the call is to never settle
Maybe
the call is to journey, to run, to hide, to escape

To forever be
the square peg in the round hole.

5 comments:

Louise Polhill said...

Thank you.

Lucy Wright said...

I really like this poem Simon. Did you write it? Thanks for sharing it.

Simon Woodman said...

Hi Lucy,
Yes I did. I'm glad you like it.
Simon.

Craig Gardiner said...

Thanks for this
I know the poem wasn't actually seeking an answer to its questions but if it were then i think the answer's yes. Liminality is a persistent feature in being a disciple and maybe best we have are stages on the way when if we're lucky we wake thinking 'i had a dream about a ladder.'

Unknown said...

I don't know what to say... you have struck a chord with me. Thanks.