I Watch as Priest Raises His Hand

Anthony Hammill

March 2022

and blesses, nurtures, the ciborium.

His blessing sweetens the sacramental bread,

removes the taste of stale flour like tortillas

from some run-down Mexican diner.

Watch his smile as he delivers the gospel,

Reads the same homily from last week,

His teeth shinier than the gold-plated metal

that adorned the processional cross.

The mosaic stained-glass paints his

face in colors that brought out beauty

I thought I would have never known.

Organ’s roaring deafens the room

Chorus chants cast an audible

halo on his gleaming white dress

For a second, we catch eyes.

Held his breath, skipped a word.