A Poem on Gathering by Erik Peterson

The following poem was written by Erik Peterson in response to the culminating gallery exhibit for our recent artist in Residence, Mandy Hinkle:

The foyer is empty and invisible
Like a proud and humble butler
Waiting to greet her honored guests
All arrangements have already been made
Come in, you are welcome to stay

We filter in
Passing through a veil
The former day
Into this anticipation

The table is set in the Upper Room
We sit and remember
Share stories of the beauty
All the shades and colors
Of what it means to get together

Silent reverence makes way for praise
Glasses to clink, as if to say
Join us in our toast, all you humble hosts
Join us, you yet served in the next home
Join us, oh birds to sing of the world’s mirth
Join us, oh Three where our hearts go in thirst
Join us and cheers, we thank-fully drink!

Then stories and voices grow dim
When dessert enters the room
His presence commanding a different set of speech – nods of heads and murmurs of a delightful rebellion
Without words we agree as eyes twinkle and meet

We evolve through the night as if years have passed

Deliriously we linger in the overgrown kitchen
Happy chatting, and naked swimming in leftover aromas of sourdough and soufflé
Like teenagers we giggle and bustle
Somehow
We’ve all grown younger

And yet it’s time
In a tired happy daze
Each of us slowly sails away back into the night
Back into the cabin
Before we see the day’s light
And on rising
We’re awake and alert
Grateful for the friends we meet
On this vast open sea