Essential Feast

Fish-fry every Friday night
during Lent at Saint John’s
Saint Mary’s Saint Michael’s
and many, many more

—no meat for the faithful—

The hot oil must be sacred
chrism to cook that cod,
perch, or flounder to blessed
crispy crust while saving

the moist purity of its
innocent white flanks
the parishioner must partake

—not quite the Body of Christ—

but a cut above the accompanying
cole slaw, fries, and Sunday
to Thursday fare

(excluding the Host at morning Mass)

leading the communicant to digestion
transcending the purely material

nourishing the hungry soul
long practiced in abstinence,
disciplined in this season
of forsaking the flesh.