Tenebrae

We are near, Lord,

near and at hand.

Handled already, Lord,

clawed and clawing as though

the body of each of us were

your body, Lord.

Pray, Lord,

pray to us,

we are near.

Wind-awry we went there,

went there to bend

over hollow and ditch.

To be watered we went there, Lord.

It was blood, it was

what you shed, Lord.

It gleamed.

It cast your image into our eyes, Lord.

Our eyes and our mouths are open and empty, Lord.

We have drunk, Lord.

The blood and the image that was in the blood, Lord.

Pray, Lord.

We are near.