You Did Not Dance

 The disciples of John reported 
all these things to him.
 So John summoned two of
 his disciples and sent them
 to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you
 the one who is to come, 
or are we to wait for another?’ When the men had come to 
him, they said, ‘John the 
Baptist has sent us to you
 to ask, “Are you the one 
who is to come, or are we
 to wait for another?” ’ 
Jesus had just then cured
 many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, 
and had given sight to
 many who were blind. 
And he answered them, 
‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind
 receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news
brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence
 at me.’

 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to 
the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the
wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then
did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look,
those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal 
palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? 
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one
 about whom it is written,“See, I am sending my messenger 
ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater 
than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater 
than he.’ (And all the people who heard this, including 
the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because 
they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing 
to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers 
rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)  ‘To what then will
 I compare the people of this generation, and what are
 they like? They are like children sitting in the market-place
 and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you,
 and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.”

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking 
no wine, and you say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man has 
come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and 
a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” 
Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.’ 
Luke 7:18-35

You Did Not Dance

Wisdom has children everywhere

yet you can only see the ones

who look and speak like you

those who make you comfortable.

Our people are called pagan

though we revere the earth

honored all our living relatives

remembering all who had walked on.

The oceans sing at God's praise

the grasses dance in the wind

the sky drops frigid tears

all for the love of these blessings.

You would burn and dissolve

all the ice and holding stones

you would destroy the life

that your mother gave to you.

When your days are ending

who will gather you in?

can the lives you shunned

be allowed back in then?

Throw the doors wide open

let the breeze sing you new

let these strange habits

renew the joy in your heart.