Time paused in the garden
Which waited for the sun;
With a yen for the song of the wren,
From the days of halcyon.

Night's agony ushered in the day,
And the moon hid her face!
Stripes of red, God, Good Friday;
Love has no resting place.

Painfully, slowly, the hours crept,
As faceted sunshine beamed;
Magdalene and Mother Mary wept;
And someone screamed. Screamed.

And the birds sang a song
Of death in the afternoon,
And shadows grew overlong
Where wilted blooms were strewn.

But blessed Sunday came
In all seemly beauty;
Buds abloom and hearts aflame,
As the bees danced silently.