Articles - From the Vicar

Regular readers of the magazine will know that I often abandon my own inadequate prose at the major festivals in favour of poetry - others' poetry, that is. This sonnet, by the American poet Mark Jarman, is entitled Emmaus and is a profound meditation on Luke's moving post-Resurrection story of the meal at the village of Emmaus shared by the risen Lord and two disciples.

They're eating dinner with someone they loved,
Someone almost forgotten from their past,
Who has come back. And they are all amazed
And look on as they chew, as their friend talks
And breaks a fresh loaf open, and remarks
It's like something, and offers it to them
And says it yields up truth like a sweet savor.
They put their noses to the fractured crust.
But it's not bread they're breathing. It is words.
And then, they are alone, thinking of things
To ask that now they can't. What's a "sweet savor"?
And all they have is right before their eyes,
Bread crumbs, some honey, and a piece of fish,
All of which tastes like joy and disbelief.

Anne joins with me in wishing you all a joyful and blessed Easter.