An Occasional Poem for Lent
In the sanctuary of your heart,
Prepare an altar of tears,
Shed for barefoot children
Trapped in burning Syrian cities,
Regrets from other lifetimes and
Graces unrecognized, love unnoticed.
In the sanctuary of your heart,
Burn incense, sweet flames of gratitude,
Licking at a crimson sunset years ago,
A night in the hills beneath holy stars,
A voice, a mentor, a warm heart,
Now departed but not too distant.
In the sanctuary of your heart,
Close the eyes of your soul
To see what is needed, truly needed,
And then what is wanted, wanted,
Wanted to fit in or keep up or
Just distract the heart from sadness.
In the sanctuary of your heart,
Taste the bread broken, the needed thing,
And open the hands of your spirit
To the hands of all the others
Hungry for the One who is broken
And barefoot, and hold them close.
3/20/17
DGJ
