Children of Encouragement – a poem by Erika Takacs

Children of Encouragement

Gray stone chapel waiting
in the new green morning
I pull the door and plunge 
into still shadow thick 
as a carpet of pine 

I start about the business
of setting up for Mass
laying out the books
the booklets the chairs
shake out twelve 

perfect creamy wafers 
from their plastic sleeve
place them on a paten
of green clay swirling
smooth as sea glass 

mix wine with water
my own miniscule miracle
click a hot pink lighter
touch flame to dusty wicks
breathe in and wait

more arrive hushed
and sleepy-eyed 
not many but enough 
for us to say Amen
and hear another’s voice

saying Amen too
this is no great ecstasy
just simple people simply
praying—oh, for more
ordinary love like this 

Erika Takacs is an Episcopal priest, teacher, and poet originally from Wilmington, Delaware. Her writing has been published in Earth & Altar, The Christian Century, Braided Way, The Orchards Poetry Journal, and as a part of the North Carolina Poetry Society’s Poetry in Plain Sight. Outside of her work and her family, her three great loves are the music of J.S. Bach, books, and baseball. She currently resides in North Carolina, where she and her husband serve at the pleasure of their very spoiled beagle.