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.