[untitled] 10 may 2011 - a poem by andrew thomas breitenberg

[untitled]  10 may 2011

a poem by andrew thomas breitenberg

tonight I thought to find Christo
a homeless man in our neighbourhood
and offer him dinner
we had so much left
after we'd eaten

and out I went
to experiment with truth
out of the house
and down the street
and at exactly that moment
of all moments there you were
wrapped in the white blanket
walking straight towards me
up our street

I said you have to come inside this time
don't light that dirty stump of a cigarette
you just picked up
out of the trash
don't put it in your mouth please
come inside instead
eat the food we have here
prepared for ourselves
we are finished
sit at our table

you chose milk for its value
i'm sorry it wasn't whole milk
you ate in silence so I put on music
clean and calm and complicated jazz piano

you paused there and said
the only words you spoke the entire time:
that sure is beautiful music

and I thought
have you ever heard real piano music?
vince guaraldi play monterey?

we hand over blankets
and into the rainy night
you go thanking us
you
thanking us

jesus your face is beautiful after a shave
you smell like every best campfire
you are so welcome
O God please return
at your earliest convenience
to eat with us not after us
to listen to our music
and we will thank you

to grace us
to let fall your benediction