…….For the beauty of the earth.
Incense of apples in a chapel,
bread, unbroken, on the lectern,
flowers spilling from the communion table
like troubled wine.
…….Come ye thankful people come.
The ‘five-a-day’
unknown at table
displayed
before a bountiful God.
…….We plough the fields and scatter.
Stolen bites,
apple cores pocketed -
disposed evidence
of thankful appetites.
…….All things bright and beautiful.
Children parading like soldiers
with baskets
fused with runner beans
armed with potatoes
as the clock
ticks away innocence.
The world turns,
seasons wax and wane
in tidal sweep.
’Seed time and harvest,
while earth remains…..’
slides into the oblivion
of famine, war,
ethnic cleansing -
a tarnished harvest
of unthankfulness.
This is part of the October blog chain of writing by members of ChristianWriters.com - please see the full list of those involved in the right hand column and visit a few of the others.
15 comments:
As usual, much to ponder in your words. "flowers spilling from the communion table like troubled wine" is a beautiful, haunting image. It recalls the beauty of the blood Christ spilled for us.
Thanks you for sharing your gift.
My favorite bit:
"Stolen bites,
apple cores pocketed -
disposed evidence
of thankful appetites."
A very thoughtful poem. I really enjoyed reading this.
I like the photo Keith very colourful and the poem? well that really is special....as usual
biiiig hug
Beautifully troubling in a good way. Thoughtful. Thank you, Keith.
An interesting juxtaposition between the familiar hymn and your poem. Nicely done.
Keith, you left me wordless, haunted, praying, grateful for the Spirit, Who takes my meager offering and weaves it words fit for a King, a garland of "flowers spilling from the communion table like troubled wine." Incredible image!
Beautiful words of harvest
wow, that was sobering!
One of your best Keith. Truly, the world is producing a "tarnished harvest".
A powerful poem, Keith; the contrast between the last verse and the ones before it is stark and startling.
Fascinating how you offset the traditional elements and memories associated with an autumn harvest with the stark reality of the futile harvest reaped by so much of the world. Another unavoidably compelling piece of work, Keith.
Oh, and incidentally . . . the CAPTCHA word I had to type in to post my comment was "prose." Now, if THAT'S not the most fitting word for this site. . . !
Very nice and interesting.
A tarnished harvest of unthankfulness is all we can have in this world without Christ.
Such imagery! Thanks for sharing, Keith.
Wow, Keith. Your pen is a paint brush!
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