The apostle in the boat
No, Matthew’s gospel doesn’t mention me
when I was in that boat, wrestling that sail.
But someone had to do it—I could see
the waves were high, the wind a roaring gale.
The others wouldn’t help, saying they were shocked,
spotting our reckless rabbi suddenly
walking on water, then our stubborn ox—
yeah, Peter—trying to walk like he was He.
(That’s so Peter: first to speak, first to act,
pushing his pushy self against the master,
as if that made him Number One in fact,
as if he’d get to heaven even faster.)
