Hangin' Out with the Body of St. John Neumann

Here you rest

And how jealous am I.

But here I rest as well.  Thanks for that (this).

This place exists because of you

and for that

All of these people are grateful

I as well.

I sit amongst the faithful

the hopeful

and the doubtful.

The young and the elderly.

Because of you

and all of the tradition that surrounds you

this is a place of peace.

A meditative zone

In a city that reverberates the echoes of violence

The schemes of the greedy

the wretchedness of those lives stricken with sorrow and poverty.

Yet I am lucky.

From my dwelling

I can swish my legs over a series of six or seven blocks

through the heat and rage

into your quiet, air conditioned abode.

The comforts of modernity, softly humming in my ear.

Stumble upon this morning's liturgy.

Sit and listen quietly

To the murmuring of prayers.

They've hit your ears a thousand times before

and no doubt they'll do it again

But this, this

Is special

This Time you're aware of them as never before

This select group

This elaborate shrine of a basement

At 1019 North Fifth Street,

Philadelphia, PA.