The conflict of myriad raindrops ,
of marbled , thundering intimidation
Of pagan streaks of fire jettisoned from
black , whirling leviathans* ...

I was Satan in the House of
God , Custer before his final enemy ,
a candle before the storm ,
a young boy trapped in nettle and thorn

A ray of hope across treacherous seas
A red maple leaf falling in the autumn breeze
A smile from the heart
A glowing fire on the hearth

Teresa climbs on the bus
before the sun, if she has
the fare

to get there, where she
makes the bread; she's been at this
two of her nineteen years  

yet she has fears, they will
come for her--green card or not;
though they like her rolls

she kneads the big *****, pulls,
pinches, a sculpting of dough, a laying
of trays, one after another

then, from the Iglesias,
they come, decked in their finery
though she does not see

she only hears the litany
of language she can't comprehend,
a clanging of trays, laughter

the urging of the jefe to work
faster, bake the bread; the communion
wafers did not fill them

now they are here, breaking fast,
forgetting the words they just heard
the songs they sang

Teresa does not complain; she
is glad to feed the worshipers, though
they will never know her name

nor will they stop for
her in the pouring rain,
the blistering sun

Teresa never wavers
next Sabbath will be the same:
dawn, the dough, the oven

it is the work--her hands
which make the bread others break,
the grace granted to serve

holy, holy, holy...