Judas, Peter by Luci Shaw

because we are all
betrayers, taking
silver and eating
body and blood and asking
(guilty) is it I and hearing
him say yes
it would be simple for us all
to rush out
and hang ourselves
but if we find grace
to cry and wait
after the voice of morning
has crowed in our ears
clearly enough
to break our hearts
he will be there
to ask us each again
do you love me?

I read this poem tonight at our Good Friday service. It was a beautiful service, and it's a beautiful poem, too. 

I heard a poet at the Faith & Writing Festival say that sometimes when a poet puts breaks in the lines, she might want you to take a breath. I practiced that when I practiced this poem and it made me notice some words that didn't rhyme, but there was a rhythm: taking, eating, asking, hearing.

And as I kept reading it aloud, it felt more and more like a song.