Poem: The Universe Converges at Dinner

The Universe Converges at Dinner

Around the dinner table the universe

Converges—gathers?—collects? Perhaps is?

The future sits down as past dishes out

Nourishment and the eternity of 

Generations finitely gathered to 

Celebrate infinity that brought them

Here to commune of things that do matter—

Never mind the fluff, the posturing of

Class or caste or whatever you call it—

Because each member gathered here can tell

Of things infinitely important like sense:

Smell, sight, touch, sound, and taste (for here we dine).

Of these we must not deny each other

While inexpressibly giving all our

Thanks for our communion through the senses

Of existence, that is something difficult—

That is inexpressibly beautiful

In its pain and pleasure because it is.

In our communion is our sustenance

Lead by recognition that it gives life

For which we must be eternally grateful.

It is here that we feast upon that known—

That divine power that has given us 

Existence that without we would be naught.

Bring here your burdens and all of your joys

For here you can be everything you 

Were meant to be, forgiven wholly now

For missing that point that you are forever

And you were meant to be nourished with His

Bread and wine, his body and blood always.

March 2023

 

About This Poem

This poem is clearly about communion in a Christian sense, but not necessarily in church. I feel like anywhere we dine together we are the two or three gathered in His name and that makes Him part of the dinner. Eating together is communion whether you are Christian or not. That's what this poem is about. I just happen to be a Christian so that's my approach. It also occurred to me that I could write an entirely different poem, or even a comical short story based upon this poem having next to nothing to do with communion in a spiritual sense. Maybe I'll do that... And the picture is of the dining room in the House of Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts. That could lend a bit of witchcraft to the communion, but I really am a muggle in spite of my name. But it is a nice dining room situation....