Tuesday, November 14, 2023

THE PARTY FAVORS IN THE OFFERING PLATE SEEM OUT OF PLACE (SECOND, FINAL VERSION)

the party favors in the offering plate seem out of place

though in my imagination I had flung them there

hoping to make God happier, things seemed grim

though we are singing beautiful hymns and Grandmother

plays Bach on the organ as if he were there smiling

I feel out of place I hear God sigh and the stained glass

shines in a different way though He likes my Grandmother's

playing


I'll meet you outside I say to Him as I go in

and then I do and Sunday begins after church

when I go home and find Him again


in my God given family

courtesy of my Grandmother, Grandfather

the genial Sunday chef for brunch


the bacon and scrambled eggs afterwards the

grape jelly like a jeweled glob on the plate

we separate into smaller globs to

spread on buttered toast


garnets I thought after I learned that word.

and now in his tiny rose garden Outside

no petals fall and it is afternoon and


now, I say to myself so happily

and my sister too or we just think it inside

there is no school my favorite dream, 

only the roses and this sweet etude of a

heartfelt most Divine Arkansas

sunday afternoon.

mary angela douglas 19 february 2015; 14 november 2023

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