Brandon Courtney - Jesus Dreamt Only Once

Today we're shining the spotlight on one of our favorite poems from Issue One, "Jesus Dreamt Only Once" by Brandon Courtney. Below you'll find a segment of one of two killer poems by Brandon Courtney that can be found in the debut issue. We think it gets better after every read, so even if you've read it before, dive on in again!

Jesus Dreamt Only Once

& He saw his Father’s garden;
stepped into the sea,

smelled the crushed odor of weeds,
knew thirst for the first time,

the compulsion to drink –
and drink of it his fill.

He prayed for mercy and mercy came
in the shape of waves,

crushing Capernaum to sand, floating
the sternum of his body like an empty boat.

& He dreamt the sea kneeling
at the entrance of his mouth,

the swells that unstrung the necklace of breath
from his throat, beating their gospels against the fence of his ribs.

He dreamt of his Father’s coffin.
Just yesterday, men were bathing in it,

spitting, moving through it, swimming,
pressed as close as the bones of a wrist.

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Read the entire poem here!