Aabye's Baby
THE MIRACLE
Simon takes the measured
polished wooden pieces
paints the joints with boiling wood-glue
from the workshop pot — it stinks of fish
places them on his bench
— blesses himself with the sign of the cross —
pushes them together and
wipes off the surface glue.

later he holds it up admiring the shape
then returns it on his workbench
lips move to a silent prayer as
he takes a 30 centimetres cast
figure from a crate
blows off the polystyrene-ball packaging
and with care takes tacks and a small hammer
to nail Jesus to the wooden cross

on the last tap
Jesu's hand flies off and spins up
hits Simon in the face.
makes a small red mark

Later I hear some people say
it was a miracle
he didn't loose an eye

JIM BENNETT
Jim Bennett is a writer and performer of poetry who lives near Liverpool, UK. He teaches Creative Arts at the University of Liverpool. He has another poem on the Zimmerzine Archive. His homepage is at http://www.poetrykit.org/jim/index.htm The Aabye's Baby Archive
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© Jim Bennett, 2000
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This page last updated: 12th November 2006.