After they’d climbed the hilltop  there came the switch
The scene suddenly defied comprehension  bright
streams of light poured from every pore of the Lord’s being
& glistened white from every transfigured stitch
in his clothing  obscuring all else  The others
awestruck  knew enough to listen & watch
but Peter mumbled something asinine  wanting to set
up little shrines for Christ & the two prophets

His tongue often stumbled ahead  He wouldn’t let
the Lord wash his feet  & then wanted to be washed
head to foot  He’d follow to the death  he said
but blurted denial to a little servant girl  Yet
he’d stepped over the gunwale into the wake
of their storm-tossed ship  he dove into the lake
to reach Christ on the beach  & put first into speech
the foundation rock that would change the world