The Donkey, for Palm Sunday

I like G. K. Chesterton on many levels. As a personality he was both deep and flambouyant (he was either an Enneagram 5 or a 4 with a strong wing of either of those). His classic work, Orthodoxy helped me define my theological center. This is one of my favorite poems of his, a playful perspective on Palm Sunday.

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The Donkey

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

—G. K. Chesterton

(graphic by Israel Galindo)

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About igalindo

Israel Galindo is Professor and Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary.
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