Maundy Thursday's Scattering

To trick the devouring wolf
the shepherd smears himself
in the blood of branded sheep
attacked earlier by wolves
so that the predator comes for him.
Thus diverted, the wolf
meets raging shepherd’s crook
while lambs scamper safely away. 

Among wolves so goes the Good Shepherd
in solidarity-sheep’s clothing,
stripped and dressed as Passover lamb
thrown to military pack of snarling rage
so that all humanity’s lost sheep 
can scamper safe into the arms of God
bleeding out love, branding all  
with a cross, “Beloved.”

                       ©2009, Tess Lockhart.  All rights reserved.