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A Poem to Sit With
Twenty-first Sunday
of Ordinary Time A
August 27, 2017
J. Janda

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
(Gospel)  

The Door

We hide inside
and lock the door
but slip the key
outside

expectant then
we wait and pray
that some or one
will find

the clue and fit
the key to turn
the lock and push
the door

to fling it wide
to tear it down
that door we built
or bought

and closed and locked
from need—from a
necessity
inside

a need we feel
but can’t define
like air we breathe
or die

and so we hide
and lock the door
but slip the key
outside


J. Janda

J. Janda’s poems have appeared in newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and literary publications, as well as in books of his own poetry.
The present poem comes from the Janda's book, IN EMBRACE.
Art by Martin Erspamer, OSB
from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C). This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go http://www.ltp.org