Between the lychgate and narthex lay
a limbo approaching communion,
where one can linger at the border, sitting in the margin
with enough of a toe hold on tentative worship,
while insulated from the assembled fervour.
And Arthur prayed alone:
conversant with his God,
but wary of the draw of the warmth within
and the risks associated with human contact.
A lychgate or resurrection gate: a covered gateway found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.
Narthex: An antechamber or large porch in a early Christian church, at the west end of the nave.