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About the Poem:The Bible is full of poetry and the Gospel according to John is among its most lyrical books. But it is also an official history, a status quo, which is something artists and poets have long challenged. Why is the story so clear that Jesus stayed away? Why wasn't Lazarus upset with his friend? This poem reminds us that Lazarus was human before he was a saint. What could be more human than refusing to cooperate? Even Jesus, according to Christian teaching, is simultaneously human and divine. Does he stay away to make sure his miracle has enough drama? That would be a very human thing to do, too. Or maybe their actions are a guide for how to transcend our baser instincts. However you read it, this poem will help you better know your own mind.
About the Poet:
Emily Grise - a poet and native of Lexington, KY - is working toward her MFA at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. She teaches composition at UMSL's Pierre Laclede Honors College and reads for WomenArts Quarterly, a St.Louis-based journal featuring work by women writers and artists. "Lazarus Speaks from the Tomb" was composed in a notebook whose cover features a cigarette-smoking monkey in a three-piece suit - a phenomenon which Emily enjoys but doesn't altogether condone.
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