Phil Wyman: Dim Saesneg

Sonnet #37 – meditations on the pastorate

Notes before beginning to write this piece: the first word must also be the last word (i.e. the first is last…), the meters should not complete a sentence until the end to mirror the ongoing day and night life of service. The Volta should turn toward dark questioning, and complaints by this world. meters 13-14 turn to dark personal questioning. No caps throughout. Rhyme sequence: abcdef fedcba aa to model that though we grow and learn, we are forced to return to our beginning lessons in the faith.

we turn our faces toward the lonely sea
of lost and struggling humanity fed
by poisoned pens and poisoned meds, and here
is found our joy, to serve and cheer, to trust
the untrustworthy, eat the crust and share
the meat with others pared like excess fat
forgotten people, god remembered at
the table of his memory, and there
both you and i will share a crown, but dust
is our reward down here, the blust’ring cheer
from enemies and so-called friends, instead
of thanks, we eat the bread of misery

and so, we question every act and flee
our own intentions while we ask, “will we?”