Easter Sunday

you rose on the third day
but the men didn't believe the women
when they said you were gone

you walked with men on the road
and they didn't recognize you
until you fed them

you appeared among them
and, even with the proof
you showed them,
the men did not believe you

they waited for you to come back
but you did not come in the flesh
so the men you trusted
became something different

at first, they tried
to teach what you taught
but the people laughed at them
and said they were drunk

men came and went after
the original twelve
speaking in your name
but still, you did not descend
from Heaven
even though you
opened their eyes

you gave them all the teachings
you told them what needed
to be done
you taught them
about love and compassion
and still the men did not
understand

and when you didn't come back
as a man of flesh
they began to disbelieve
and tell lies about
what you taught

they did not understand
that you were already here
in front of them

your resurrected flesh
exists in the bodies of those
who are marginalized
the black, the brown,
the trans, the queer
the poor, the widow,
the sick, the disabled

all of the forgotten

you gave us everything
we needed
all of the instructions
were simple:
love one another
and treat the Other
as you yourself would
want to be treated

but we failed to understand
the assignment

instead we obediently repeat
"hallelujah! he is risen"
on Easter Sunday
even though
we are still putting nails
in your hands and feet