The Persistence of, Christopher Gerald Carstens (June 2026)

 

The Persistence of

Unsteady old man, hide so paper thin,
a passing bump against the door may raise
a livid purple welt beneath my skin
as ruptured, rusty veins seep blood for days.
So, now my task is keeping things contained.
Like blood, my thoughts, my work, time set for prayer
face drag of dissipation. Unconstrained
I lose my focus and then – nothing there.
 
The force of life flows fullest when embraced
by arteries and lungs and liturgies,
by verse through which love’s patterns may be traced,
all earthly pipes which channel mysteries.
What leaks through vessel walls is lost and gone:
the strength retained by Grace still bears me on.