wordsout by godfrey rust
The sailing of the ark  < 38 of 45



38

For what is it we pray? That peace
will come, and prophecy go unfulfilled?

For the unchangeable to change his mind?
In a game of blind man's buff

beneath the storms of God we hide
or lay out the tarpaulin of our prayers

and catch what grace we can, asking
"that it will not be in winter",

and though our intercessions seem as futile
as five small loaves among five thousand men,

he breaks the bread of our prayers
to feed the hungry who come

to eat, gathered so far out
at the edge of the soul's miraculous hillside.


The closing section (38-45) reviews some of the consequences of escaping from a dogmatic strait-jacket.

that it will not be in winter From Jesus’ prophecy of the desecration of the temple (Matthew 24:20).

Five small loaves among five thousand men cf Matthew 14:13-21.