between the eyes
they put the red

a dot
millions of dots
centered
on millions of heads

a drop
a billion drops
spilled
for a billion heads

by One who came
as blood-dripping vine
supplying life to grafted branches

whose vein still bleeds,
pulses, offers
drops of life

the dot–
I wear one too
invisible to you

as a finger touches
my forehead

leaves a fingerprint

I am changed forever
by drops of red

***

Just returned from a 3 week trip to India, where I saw hundreds of women wearing the traditional “bindi”, the infamous “red dot’on the forehead… and it reminded me of the painting by Michelangelo where God’s finger is reaching out to Adam… which reminded me that God’s arms are not too short to reach anyone…. that His hand is reaching out to touch our heads as a parent touches a child… Well those are my thoughts, and what inspired this poem.

Sharing with Emily:

and Laura: