March 2026 Slice of Life, No. 20
#PoetryFriday, 26_0320
In about a week, we will celebrate Palm Sunday–the first day of Holy Week, perhaps the most celebrated week in Christianity. It begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12). A couple years ago, when I was reading these accounts, I imagined how I might have felt if I had been there. As I read the four accounts again, I began to pen a narrative. I chose to take the voice of a child. Part of the narrative is in this slice, in draft form, the part about Jesus’ triumphal entry.
I Was a Child
I was a child on that day
sitting on the shoulders of my uncle
part of a great multitude
gathered on Mt. Olivet, waiting
along the road to Jerusalem,
waiting to see him.
I was a child on that day
listening to miracle stories
of ten men outside a village who cried,
“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
once lepers but now clean,
of Bartimaeus who called out,
“Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”
once blind but now seeing,
of Lazarus who died and was
in the tomb four days,
once dead but now alive.
I was a child on that day
watching the road from Bethany
when excitement exploded
like lightning bolts striking:
“He’s coming! He’s coming!”
We tossed down our garments
and great leafy branches,
a carpet to cover the roadway.
I was a child on that day
lifting my voice to join
a thunderous roar —
“Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!
Blessed be the King who
comes in the name of the Lord;
peace in heaven, and
glory in the highest!”
I was a child on that day
sitting on the shoulders of my uncle
in a great multitude near Mt. Olivet
along the road to Jerusalem
when I saw Jesus of Nazareth
riding on the colt of a donkey.
© Alice Nine, 2019 (draft)
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I was raised in the Jesuit tradition and have always loved imaginative prayer — stepping into the gospels as one of those present and seeing the Christ story with a new heart. Love that you chose a child. Thank you.
Thank you for noticing. I think imaginative prayer is easier in the eyes of a child.
Love hearing the special story from a child, Alice! You made it so very real!
Thank you Linda. I always love hearing children retell stories, so it’s fun to create a poem with the voice of an adult who is telling the story through the memory of their childhood experiences. It makes the adult voice become a child’s voice.
This is a beautiful, Alice. The repetition of “I was a child on that day” makes me think about the ways in which we still (when we want to, and when we don’t) can see things as a child.
Thank you Karen. We’ve had four “next generation” babies in our family in 18 months. So at family gatherings, the conversations (storytelling) often includes “When I was little… ” The fourth generation births are giving rise to revisiting baby pictures, remembering baby mannerisms, noticing family resemblances. Perhaps that influenced the point of view, an adult remembering childhood events.
Alice, this is such a beautiful poem! I love telling the gospels through the eyes of a child witness. It brought us so close to these events. I love the full circle moment at the end with your repetition of the first stanza but with a holy new ending. Wow…
Thank you Cathy. I enjoyed imagining myself a child hearing and seeing those events. When I taught children’s Sunday School classes, I’d try to bring the stories into their world…. and get them to talk about the biblical account the way they saw it. I really struggled to get the just right ending and until I did the full circle, it seemed there needed to be more. Maybe that’s because I know the story doesn’t end there.
Alice, I loved reading the summary of the Gospels through the eyes of this child on his uncle’s shoulders. It’s neat to imagine this day, and it makes it more real thinking of people of all ages there and anxious to see Jesus.
When I was a child, I always felt there was a special joyous wonderment on Palm Sunday and Easter and all the week in between. Some of that came from the excitement of a new dress, some from the beauty of spring, and a lot from listening to the stories of Jesus.
This is a beautiful way to retell the Gospels, relevant to people of all ages. I also see it as viewing these moments through a youthful spirituality versus a more mature one. I will keep this as inspiration. Well done!
Thank you. I think children are more ready to see things as they are and perhaps more accepting of the spiritual.
I especially love the final stanza – full of all of the action verbs and subordinating conjunctions that propel a child through a tumultuous day – SITTING on the shoulders, IN a great multitude, ALONG the road – all perspectives arrowing and narrowing to the point of the poem, the whole Main Event – Jesus.
I like how you describe the point of the poem and how everything points to Jesus. Blessings.
It is always interesting to see things through the eyes of a child. I wonder if that child were there on Good Friday how his perspective would change.
Good question. We know how the disciples’ perspectives changed. I wonder . . .
This is so lovely – capturing the joy of miracles and the hope of His coming so perfectly. I always wish we could linger longer in the celebration – but what was and is to come is so much more important. Thank you for this gift today.
Thank you. I agree. So much happened from Palm Sunday to Easter that we really do need to celebrate it longer than a week. I like how you wrote, “what was and is to come is so much more important.”
This will be meaningful to a child of today who is beginning their own walk of faith.
I’ve worked with children in our church and I always try to approach stories from their perspective.
Beautiful! Hosanna! Child is my OLW for the year. I really enjoyed the point of view of a child for holy week.
Oh wow! I had never thought of “child” as an OLW. I can see so many implications for personal growth because of that word.
What an incredible perspective to take. I could see from the uncle’s shoulders and I could hear the crowds. Great work!
I like to think from a child’s point of view to see and hear things I’ve missed as an adult.
Thank you for this. I like the reminder that children were around and witnesses to the events in the gospels.
Thank you for pointing that out. Sometimes we forget that they witness our lives and it forms theirs.