Holy Week Church Service

After the church service,

the real holiness of the altar is still alive

in the work of women picking up each Communion cup 

with tiny glass clinks, washing and putting away,

in dusting the altar now stripped

of the comforts of the world,

and with the quiet sweeping up of 

candle ash, dirt and dropped Body of Christ

crumbs from pilgrim and priest alike, the peaceful hush

of ashes to ashes, dust to dust with each

tender stroke of the broom.

J. Pratt-Walter, NaPoMo April 2022