Altar Piece

The extraordinary patience of things!
—Robinson Jeffers

The rhythm could not be simpler:
clicking of rock on rock.
The mason's hands marry stones
to the particular stones he finds,

clicking of rock on rock
building and built by habit.
To the particular stones he finds,
he gives a blessing of mortar,

building and built by habit.
He lays odd pieces aside before
he gives a blessing of mortar.
Surfaces turn, find their places in time.

He lays odd pieces aside. Before
the mason's hands marry stones
surfaces turn, find their places. In time,
the rhythm could not be simpler.

Copyright © 2003 David Wright All rights reserved
from A Liturgy For Stones
DreamSeeker Books
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission