communion host, toast

rothko
untitled
1955



communion host, toast

I

there’s a polaroid of you
                and you’re back to
                                and it’s your communion

and you’re wearing
                a cream colored suit

there’s an altar boy looking at you
                or the floor
                                and he’s holding
                                                the gold ciborium
or maybe
                (it’s hard
                                to tell in this
                                                the only picture
                                                                to make it through
                                                                                the fire, a miracle
                                                                                                seeing’s it’s all
                                                                                                                liquid inside)
the communion
paten he’s pulling
                away you know
                                in case
                                                you drop
                                                                the wine soaked host
                                                                                                               

II

and maybe it’s the other boy in you
who touches the toast
                                on school mornings
                                                                hungry
and the blue milk
                                is still
                                                in the bowl
and I give you half
                                of mine I’m not hungry anyway
                                                I say
and I watch you take
                                your time
                                                and you pretend
                                                                you’re the priest

                                                                and you hold the toast
                                               
up
to
the

LIGHT

and dip it
                in the blue
                                milk
                                                and hold it
                                                                out to me
                               
                                                                                and how,             tell me,
                                                                                                      can I

                                                                                                                                refuse?

                                

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