Monday, July 26, 2010

Refugees

Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; 
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, 
and he delivered them from their distress; 
Psalm 107:4-6 (NRSV)

I looked 'round the table at the others
wandering in, all hours.
We might have been a union mission 
for all the glazed eyes,
unsteady,
not sure to believe such measures of goodness are to trust
in this weary world, 

'til the Host took his place
to speak a word of grace upon the feast
and knives and forks began to carve . . .

and, later, someone struck a harp
when slowly, one by one, 
refugees began to sing their stories. . . 

'til it came my time
who could not sing a song for all the world,
to take my part.
He has turned my grating tale
to perfect pitch,
sweetly mingling with those who came before
and others on the way.

© 2010 Andy Gay