OY, this is such great stuff! I usually use that term to refer to scripture, but this poem is using scripture. In fact, the title is a quote from Malachi 3:2–“…for who can endure the day of his coming?” The day she (and the scripture) is referring to is more than just the Second Coming, or even the First Coming, as you’ll see. I’m only copying the second verse here for you (guessing at indents). Love the ending! For indeed, we are “proud, cracked” places, and it can be fearful when we’re first opening up to the Coming-in-our-Hearts…
in our nights our complicated modern dreams rarely flower into visions. No contemporary Gabriel dumbfounds our worship, or burning, visits our bedroooms. No sign-post satellite hauls us, earth-bound but star-struck, half around the world with hope. Are our sensibilities too blunt to be assaulted with spatial power-plays and far-out proclamations of peace? Sterile, skeptics, yet we may be broken to his slow silent birth (new-torn, new- born ourselves at his beginning new in us). His bigness may still burst our self-containment to tell us–without angels’ mouths– fear not. God knows we need to hear it, now when he may shatter with his most shocking coming this proud cracked place and more if, for longer waiting, he does not.As I’ve said before, when we come to that fearful, broken place–it’s a beautiful thing.
