Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Poetry Library Southbank Centre - The Poetry Library housing the Arts Council Collection at Southbank Centre

« Previous item
Contents of this issue
Next item »

Jamie Wasserman

print this page

The other Mary

The one who wipes Christ's feet
with her hair (the body meant nothing
to her). The one who covers Christ's chest
                                                                    
in cinnamon and potato rinds and apple cores
(anything she could get her hands on).
She is the one Christ holds on his tongue longer

than any of the disciples (though they stomp
in the dirt and pull at their ears).
This Mary waited outside the cave

for Christ to rise, more patient
than a father. She made up songs
and played marbles with the angels

kneeling in the dirt for days.
And when Christ finally shook off his bones
and sins, he wouldn't even brush the hair

from her eyes. Not this Mary; she was 'dirty'.
You'll remember, she carried seven demons
in her womb until Christ put his fingers inside her

and scraped her clean. This Mary
is the barren one, not the virgin.
The one who takes men inside herself,

rocking them gently to a dark place
only a believer could understand.
Not the one you shout for

when you wake shivering
surrounded by strangers,
calling, Mother! Mother!

 

Jamie Wasserman lives in Maryland, USA, where he has published poetry and fiction in various magazines. He was nominated for a 1999 Baltimore Artscape award for poetry.

Page(s) 23

Back to top