Poem: “The Pastor’s Wife Considers Theology”

What’s that word for remembering?

Anamnesis? Yes, like when I hear him

murmuring his way through them toward me,

The body of Christ given for you.

The body of Christ given for you.

He might as well be a bread machine:

The body of Christ given for you

Black shoes arrive and above an alb;

he is before me

being and giving the host.

I look up and meet him square.

He is opaque,

no flicker of remembering

his body searching mine last night,

last month, last year. Only

The body of Christ given for you.

All is now: 

my pastor in alb and chasuble

and my soul wearing me.

It is a strange relief.

He moves on,

the kind machine distributing

The body of Christ given for you.

The body of Christ given for you.

I look down at the body-bread he’s given me,

find the good brown crust – 

my favorite part, 

torn off the loaf just for me – my future

rushes in: hope and coming and Him.

“The Pastor’s Wife Considers Theology” by Nola Garrett from The Pastor’s Wife Considers Pinball. Copyright © by Nola Garrett. Used with the poet’s permission.