Gripping the earth in hand
And spirit in the glass
Mystery begets mystery
As oil gives birth to flame

What once swayed in the wind
Is blessed and broken;
Given to all
Who seek to be sustained

Attend to the dust
Labor through the night
Once the vine’s fermented
Drink and come alive

When seasons change against virtue
The earth becomes a cold, dark mass
Gather down in the cellar
Sit around the olive flame

See the joy of your siblings
Despite the shadows on their face
Pass around the element
Sing a hymn of praise

Pray against self-derision
Can spirit and flesh be one?
Now eat, drink, remember
Si comprehendis,
Non est Deus-Homo((This is an adaptation of St. Augustine’s phrase, Si comprehendis, non est Deus which translates, “If you understand it, it is not God.” In this usage it reads, “If you understand it, it is not the God-man.”)

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