Br. Juniper came upon a beggar,
lying legless by the city gate;
the man held out his cap for alms,
crusted with filth and fleas.

Juniper stretched himself on the ground beside the man
and pulled on his own right leg,
pulled and pulled until it ripped from his hip.
And then, with hands of sacrifice and healing,
healing and wonder,
wonder and love,
he joined his leg to the beggar's right hip,
who felt the first-time miracle of his own leg.

Two sets of crutches were brought,
carved from olive-tree crooks.

Br. Juniper and the beggar
stood unsteadily side by side.
Juniper whispered to him,
"In the eyes of God we equals were;
now we are equals in the eyes of men."

Juniper hobbled home,
eager to show his brothers,
his graceful new crutches. 

Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.