Being Saved Again

After Mass in Illinois we go to our parish hall
to be saved again.
I arrive first, hold the door for others
who joke about first to the door,
last to the doughnuts.

Inside is a long table of cakes and rolls.
Kids studying one, then another,
before a final choice.

Blanca has chosen a table and
gradually others join us -
the same ones, the international crowd, Norway,
Poland, I hope Austria has brought her harmonica -
much small talk, smiles -
then it happens.

Blanca laughs.

She tells a joke from Mexican TV
in her pretty accent.
All laugh now
at a message passed via electrons
from deep Mexico to the family of man
and I know then that life is okay.

More tales and humor -
we have passed the narrows
into open sea
and are good for some time now.

We are not on Earth alone,
we have a calm horizon, and
it will be days before the cliffs
begin to close in on both sides.

I like the happiness and family in this.  Enjoyed it much.  The last stanza is a mystery.

cheryl

Thanks much for the reply.  The last stanza is not supposed to be difficult.  I will look at it some more.   Thanks.

Like this, Q. Simply opens up daily life's deeper currents. Tom

warm piece, quentin
much to enjoy


Stella

Thanks much StellaR.................Quentin

Enjoyed all of this, Quentin.  There is a bit of mystery in last S, yet as the years narrow down what remains of Life [which you've presented so well] there is 'mystery' I think as to what the voyage might be like once we enter those straits. 

ld

Q., I'm reading and enjoying this very much again, and have one question about the end. Here,

More tales and humor -
we have passed the narrows
into open sea
and are good for some time now.

We are not on Earth alone,
we have a calm horizon, and
it will be days before the cliffs
begin to close in on both sides.

there is a shift in time scale, as I read it, from the "some time now" of a few hours to "days". It doesn't really make sense to me. Why not either open it up wider to "years" and let it encompass life, or delete it and let the "some time now" stand?  --Tom

I see, Quentin. I somehow ignored the stated setting, which sets up a 7-day period within which the ending makes a lot more sense. I for some reason saw this as a family gathering, in spite of what you wrote.
Rereading, I am struck by how N is first to the door - has least use for Mass, most use for socializing, as you suggest. Tom

Great, Quentin. Had no trouble with the ending - a fine metaphor to finish it.

milner

to picks - almost forgot - what I originally came to do this morning!

Pleased to read this again and find it's been moved up to picks.

ld

http://constitutioncenter.org/artOfTheAmericanSoldier/default.aspx


~

Nice moment.

Rick