WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

A Poem from the Covid-19 Pandemic

There is a song

“The Saints Go Marching in”

         You probably know it well

         If not, check with a jazzy friend

I listened to it last week on my Covid walk

And it eased my 82-year-old shuffle around the ‘hood

It also got me thinking about things that keep people moving

Together

Christians (not unique, I am sure)

Have always advocated communing  

One mystical body, Christ as the head

The rest of us with our roles to play

Succeeding only in the context of each other

Look it up

The Communion of Saints

Now, Covid activities have gotten me wondering

At a less abstract level

About the communal lives of

Well, …, saints

Those people many of us try to emulate

Do they, as the song suggests, march?

In groups?

With the help of music?

Is this what we should emulate?

It is not for me to know

If saints march

To, fro, or why

But I am looking to them to help us learn

About social distancing 

Together

Can you envision marching saints?

My image is that of Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Bands on parade

Some of them absolutely buoyant

Strutting and weaving down the street

“Saints marching in?”

The saints among us today

         You’ve seen them

         Your neighbors

         Essential workers, maybe

They are pretty active

Maybe even buoyant

Not ones to ponder

They have a vision of the needs of others

And how to respond

Right now

Their message,

Someone cares

What would it take to get me up off the curb  

Instead of just watching others march?

A nice Dixieland beat

Would move my feet

But that cadence is just a start

Rachmaninoff’s surging melodies

Have infused me with energy

And let me forget the soreness in my hips and knees

The message

Get started and keep going

I have listened to other music, walking

Dave Brubeck, Offenbach, Chopin etudes

Each so different from the rest

But they all adjusted my attitude

And spiced my walk with a little zest

My take

Learn to enjoy moving

Imagine being in a parade

You may march to a less musical drummer

But if you let me join you

I can lag behind
Maintain some distance

So as not to slow you down

There is another group of saints

Those who acted saintly here and then passed on

Who knows what their “life” is like “up there?”

We can hope there is some celebrating

Enjoying a just reward

Dancing, maybe

Weaving down some celestial street

Pause for a lighter moment

  

A saint wearing a party hat

Poking through a halo

Hello

Ponder that

Harps and choirs?

I think not

Not your take on heaven?

Probably

But just saying

Communing with others over a shared purpose

May create a parade

Take your places!  Eyes right!  Give me six feet!
And let's step out with pride

So, ... , where do we go?
Care-givers, I am told
Should prepare for anywhere
If you need specifics
Turn on the tv

A test for your theological imagination

How much random wandering occurs in heaven?

Or how much random wandering gets people into heaven?

The saying suggests, it takes a village to get you to that home

But I want to know about my village

Does someone here have a metronome?

DRK

5/26/2020

Happy 109th birthday, mom.