One in nature
but three distinct persons
Dom Charles said
of the Trinity of God
I watched him
as he showed me
how to pluck apples
from the trees
in the abbey orchard,
fiducia in Deum
He will always be
with you
Dom James said
I listened as he spoke
sunlight pierced
the coloured glass
of the high window,
Hugh spoke
of the chairs he made
for the guest's common room
carpenter by trade
but now a monk in training,
bell pulled in the cloister
by the tall thin monk
for Vespers
we lined up
on either side
of the cloisters
against the walls
orange bricks,
nam *** ego infirmi
essemus secundum
quod est tunc
fortis sum
said St Paul
when he was weak
then he was strong
or such I mused,
the Crucified
on the crucifix
on the wall above my bed
head to one side
arms stretched
hands pierced,
un ami de tous
n'est pas un ami
pour personne
Gareth said
quoting Aristotle
as we walked
through woods
of the abbey
towards the shoreline,
I tolled the bell for Terce
George beside me
tolling his bell
novices at work
at least for awhile
his dark eyes
and that warm smile.
May 9, 2017
May 9, 2017 at 6:23 AM UTC
One in nature
but three distinct persons
Dom Charles said
of the Trinity of God
I watched him
as he showed me
how to pluck apples
from the trees
in the abbey orchard,
fiducia in Deum
He will always be
with you
Dom James said
I listened as he spoke
sunlight pierced
the coloured glass
of the high window,
Hugh spoke
of the chairs he made
for the guest's common room
carpenter by trade
but now a monk in training,
bell pulled in the cloister
by the tall thin monk
for Vespers
we lined up
on either side
of the cloisters
against the walls
orange bricks,
nam *** ego infirmi
essemus secundum
quod est tunc
fortis sum
said St Paul
when he was weak
then he was strong
or such I mused,
the Crucified
on the crucifix
on the wall above my bed
head to one side
arms stretched
hands pierced,
un ami de tous
n'est pas un ami
pour personne
Gareth said
quoting Aristotle
as we walked
through woods
of the abbey
towards the shoreline,
I tolled the bell for Terce
George beside me
tolling his bell
novices at work
at least for awhile
his dark eyes
and that warm smile.
