Poem for Christmas 2013

Bet Lechem

Houses of Bread are everywhere;

some sell bread, and more sell flair

and the myth of the peasant pleasantly poor

whose ‘Rustic Loaf’ costs more, for sure.

In the House of Bread where He came to us

is a crypt and a star and the pilgrims’ buzz,

and stillness, yes, and that dark that is true.

A priest says mass: ‘Blessèd are you!’

God knows if we’ll find the crumbs we need

(as they knead and knead for the shops for greed).

Still I’ll sit and I’ll cry for those who will cry:

‘Give us bread fit for blessing, or else let us die!’

Lord Jesus Christ, of all things the Head,

born today in your House of Bread,

keep me hungry as I need to be,

to smell and to taste the bread brought for me.

                                    

                                           (c) Patrick Morrow

                                                Christmas 2013

                                                Bethlehem is Bet Lechem in Hebrew,

                                                which means ‘house of bread’.