It’s a big week coming up for me. I’m on a tight deadline for an agent who is interested in my work. And I’m going to a pretty intense Laity Leadership Institute retreat Thursday – Sunday.
Plus lots and lots of strategy planning for our budget cycle involving exciting possibilities for TheHighCalling.org and HighCallingBlogs.com.
That kind of week means I ought to start it with poetry. Like L.L. said, real men read poetry, even real business men coming to Laity Lodge (which I use in the gender neutral sense of the word on account of some female business men/persons coming to the retreat as well).
We took communion last night at a special service and that sent me back to a poem I began earlier this month.
Communion
Good news breaks
like bread, mass
produced wheat slices
chopped by elders
last night or gourmet
kalamata olive loaf
from super markets
or German rye
from a local baker.
Not condemnation,
not restoration,
but consummation
sliced and wrapped
in foil at 350 degrees
for ten minutes.
Pay attention
to the time. Don’t
spread your imitation
butter on something
black and bitter.
{ 9 comments }
I enjoyed this, especially the opening “Good news breaks/like bread”. A very nicely sustained image.
that does sound like a big week…woah.
that is one slick poem.
Congratulations on the agent's interest! YAY!
We'll pray for much grace this week in the midst, Marcus…
“consummation sliced”… my.
You write, sir.
Ann, it is SO good to hear from you. Thanks for commenting on this one.
A slick poem about communion could be dangerous…
wow, I like this poem…especially:
from super markets
or German rye
from a local baker.
Not condemnation,
not restoration,
but consummation…Don’t
spread your imitation
butter on something
black and bitter.
- cornelia seigneur
http://www.corneliaseigneur.com
west linn oregon
Not restoration I guess in the sense that that is taken in by consummation. And we somehow in some way by the Spirit are becoming what we eat, nourished on the Body and blood of our Savior, most certainly participating in his life.
Do we hunger for this? Interesting poem, and one that makes me think.
Ted, the idea of restoration vs. consummation comes from my friend, Sam Van Eman. He says God is not just restoring the world to some Eden like state–because Eden would still contain possibility for another fall. Instead, God is going to consummate creation so that there is a new creation.
I don't know what I think of Sam's idea, but I played around with it here.
For me, Communion and the other sacraments/activities of our faith is something that too easily becomes routine. Poetry is a way for me to rethink it, challenge it, hopefully without falling into heresy!
Ted, the idea of restoration vs. consummation comes from my friend, Sam Van Eman. He says God is not just restoring the world to some Eden like state–because Eden would still contain possibility for another fall. Instead, God is going to consummate creation so that there is a new creation.
I don't know what I think of Sam's idea, but I played around with it here.
For me, Communion and the other sacraments/activities of our faith is something that too easily becomes routine. Poetry is a way for me to rethink it, challenge it, hopefully without falling into heresy!
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