SuperTrip 2024 Camino Poems

Faith as Food Network (Camino, May 2024)
It is my singular desire
to delight a God who’s seen it all,
not by bigger stunts or prizes,
not with wilder story lines,
(He sees, will see and saw that coming):
through the performance of my life.

I live as if I were a TV host,
fronting up a cooking show,
my audience, forced to eat with eyes and ears,
can only experience all of this deliciousness
through me.

My part is to convey
the sizzle and the savour,
(the unctuousness of flowing time,
umami of relationship,
the vinegar of loss),
to One who knew them only once
and very long ago.

Simple Gifts (Camino, May 2024)
My head is constantly turned and turning,
here, along the way,
even as my feet walk on:
a flare of song from hidden birds,
a flash of poppies,
a conversation shouted
from field to field, like a ball,
a sudden glance of light along a wall.
This is what it means to repent:
to be constantly distracted
by the beauty of the world,
as it seems to you,
knowing that its shape and glow
will never show in any photograph.
It is a covenant with life,
to walk toward the storm
and see in it the glory of the sky,
the green of wheat to come;
to take the joy of your surprise
and offer it back
to the One who made us free

This is what it means
to be in dialogue with God.

That’s why they call it the present (Camino, May 2024)
I have the knack of belonging by becoming.
I accept every change
into the person who is here and now
This is not a fakery.
It is the continuity of one,
(who has never been discrete),
ageing into prodigal indiscretion.
Enthused, infused with every day,
breath commingling with its air
hair floating with its bugs
skin shedding on its soil.
And, sure,
sometimes its air smells of fresh-cut grass
and brings out my allergies.
Most times its bugs bite me.
Its soil often churns to mud
of questionable brown.
But, then, so do I.

Abundant not Eternal (Camino 2024)
I reject the doctrine of atonement.
I reject a God
who had a woman bear a son,
Beloved of them both,
for torture and for murder.

Because He demanded payment.

I do not see it in the words of Christ,
(as we have them, in our savaged book
of the surviving Word).
“Ask and it shall be given unto you
Seek and you will find.”
Forgiveness is not unconditional.
We have much work to do
We could not earn it. if we tried.
But,
it did not, does not, have a price.

A Pilgrim speaks to God (Camino, May 2024)
“My feet hurt.” I said to God.
“Of course they do.” God said,
“What did you expect?”
“Less pain,” I said.
“Why?” He asked me.
“You’ve walked over two hundred miles.
And you have soft, city feet.”
“True,” I said, “but I’m doing this for You.”
“Oh really?” He said,
metaphorical head tilted,
insubstantial eyebrow raised.
“So all that singing, all that joy
of green-glowing fields. And the sky,
silky blue as any mantle given to the Virgin
by the most devout Renaissance painter…
That’s for me?”
“A bit for me”, I conceded.
“Aren’t I’m the one who needs perfecting here?”
“Sophistry?” said God, “With the Logos?
With the Sancta Sapienta?
Nice.”
“Mostly for me.” I conceded.
“But, You’re right up there.”
“So, stop.” He said.
“No.” I replied
“The grass is too green, the sky too pretty.
And I have a pilgrimage to complete.”
“Well, then,” He said,
“There’s not a lot I can do for you.
You’ll toughen up eventually.
That’s how I made feet work.”

A Pilgrim speaks to God again (Camino, May 2024)
“My feet hurt”. I said to God.
“Yes,” He said, “we’ve been here before.”
“I know.” I said, “But, it never hurts to ask twice:
not with a God as generous and merciful as You!”
“Sarcasm?” God asked.
“Sorry,” I replied.
“I’ve been a bit grumpy lately,
what with these feet and all…”
“So, stop.” God said, patiently.
“Not on your Nellie!” I replied,
“I have a pilgrimage to complete!”
“I don’t have a Nellie,” said the Transcendent One,
“though I encompass all things.
And, if I may ask again,
just who is this pilgrimage for?”
“It’s mostly for me.” I admitted,
“Though I do hope it makes you glad.”
“The gorse is super-shiny and golden in its thorns.
(Watch out for them).” said God.
“A low-pressure front, from your West, is bringing
just the right type of cloud to hone the light.”
“Thank you.” I said, putting my boots back on.
“Great job with the trees, by the way.
Though, a little less cow poo would be nice...?”
“Well,” said God, “Do you want the milk or not?”

What I believe (Camino, May 2024)
I don’t think I have a faith.
I think I have a joy,
and a need to put it somewhere.
I think I have such an all-pervading gratitude,
that it needs an object, a direction.
Knowing I have so little control
over how things turn out,
I need to address, to redress, to express
the over-abundance of my life.
And so, I take them as a gift
and seek a Giver for my praise.

Walking together (Camino, May 2024)
We leave town together.

When I see a hill
I dig my poles in and climb,
afraid my lungs, or my will, will fail
before I reach the top.
You do not break your stride.
I go ahead.

When I see the ground fall away
I dig my poles in,
uncertain of my knees,
and dance down as quickly as I can.
You do not break your stride.
I go ahead.

You do not walk with poles,
steady on your feet,
sure your legs, your heart will take you
where we need to go,
regardless of terrain.

You always catch me on the flat ground,
where I am watching butterflies,
or beetles pass…

We walk into town together.

Prayer of Seeing-Acceptance (Camino, May 2024 - Response to the Serenity Prayer)
God,
grant me the serenity
to see and accept the need for change;
the wisdom
to see and accept my part in it
and the courage
never to see and accept a difference.

May it be so.

A pilgrim speaks to God again ( Camino, June 2024)
“Er, hello?”, I said, raising my hand.
“It’s me again…”
“I know,” said God, comfortably,
“What’s with the hand?”
“It’s a bit awkward”, I said sheepishly,
“I think I forgot to thank you.”
“What for?” said God. “No –
don’t tell me…
Is it for the rain?”
I shook my head.
“For the rain stopping?”
I shook my head again.
“For the weather in general?
The Laws of Physics? Evolution?
The fact you’re still breathing?
“Not, exactly…” I said.
“You’ll have to help me out”, said God.
“I’m juggling a lot of balls here.
And, when I gave you free will,
I promised not to peek."
“This is getting more awkward,” I confessed.
“None of that even occurred to me,
But, in retrospect –
“Yes, and?”
“You’re welcome,” said the Lord

Love (Camino, June 2024)
I don’t want you to be stronger,
richer, taller, different.
I want you to be
as authentically yourself
as you can be, around another human.
I want to see you inhabit that person,
explore their corners, swell their sides.
I want to give you space for pride,
and for any shame, pain;
to hold them, more tenderly
than you do for yourself;
to be the kindest part of you