Beaujolais nouveau

A poem on the miracle at Cana

Many years ago, as a way of grounding a practice of poetry, I joined with a friend in writing poems each week on the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the coming Sunday. Sometimes the poems would clearly be about the passages, sometimes the inspiration was less clear with a loose grounding in the text. Either way, I’ve carried this practice on, in fits and starts, in the years since and I’d like to begin it again. To that end, I will be writing a “lectionary poem” and sharing it here on the Sundays most weeks. I hope you will enjoy whatever is good in these poems and forgive the bad. And if this inspires you to write your own poem as a way of reflecting on scripture, all the better.

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John 2:1-11

Salvation comes like a Beaujolais,
new grapes and just enough time 
	for the spirit.
This is wine for kingdoms come 
	new years and new beginnings.
This is wine for those who cannot wait
	for the promise of old bottles;
A wine whose “time has not yet come,” 
	but what are we to drink without it?

The old bottles sit in their cellars,
	ancient in their refinement,
waiting to turn, in a few year’s time
	into a delicate bloom,
 or spoil into vinegar.
Those of us thirsty and waiting,
needing so badly this wedding feast,
just can’t wait.
The wedding is today,
	drink what you have,
		the spirit will come.