Gathered

by Paul Hooker

The future is not a result of the present. It is the present, rather, which is made pregnant by the future.

Rubem A. Alves
The Poet, The Warrior, The Prophet, p. 81.

Every stalk of wheat contains the loaf
and every grape the wine.

Every stream runs to the font.
Every word bears unimagined truth.

Every meal is spread a banquet
and at every banquet he is host.

This night, gathered at this Table
makes meaning of that one in upstairs room

when he broke the bread, his broken body
poured his blood into the blooded cup;

‘twas our eyes he was looking into
and his words our ears were meant to hear.

Taste the ancient wheat, the long-pressed grape;
they are tomorrow’s loaf, the future’s vintage,

and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
are gathered at this Table on this night.