Bearing Much Fruit (Poem)

Bearing Much Fruit

You shall know them by their fruits.
~ Matthew 7:16*

Oranges lemons limes
grapes figs and fish

plenty of shelves stocked
for pillage before a storm

bear one and the same
simple message always

stamped in plain black
in a code to which we have no key:

"Inspected by _____________."


What we buy we wash and rinse.
What we rinse we peel

as if removing the stain
of someone else's touch

is enough
to remove the bruise

on the apple's core.


We stuff the fig.
We bread the fish

as if changing texture or taste
in the mouth

or leaving meat unexposed
is the better for you

and so the better for me.


Away from the glare
of fluorescent-lit aisles

no longer pitching
to the blare of specials

ringing up in your ears
you notice the blemish

rendered yet again in faithfulness
to rule and regulation:

the tiny print beginning the list
of ingredients most to least

jumping to calories counted
with such patient obedience

to getting right
the additions you do not need

— the extra pinch of salt
the too-pink coloring of freshness —

registered in precise measurements
with utmost attention to detail.

You love how the system works

struggle to contain with self-control
the joy it gives you

knowing each and every time
you can count on it

not unlike what brought you
into this world

what you'd like to last forever.


You shop your fruits on your own now

examine them with the gentleness
of a loving teacher

who pointed out with kindness
just that once what was could be

and always will be

before turning you free forever more
to make your separate peace with what was

and is and might always be
imperfect.

© 2010 Maureen E. Doallas. All Rights Reserved.

_________________________________
* American King James Version

See also Galatians 5:22-24 (New International Version): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." In various other versions of the Bible, "longsuffering" replaces "patience", "meekness" replaces "gentleness", and "temperance" is used instead of "self-control".

I wrote this poem for the April 6 Blog Carnival, sponsored by Bridget Chumbley of One Word at a Time and Peter Pollock of Rediscovering the Church.

The Blog Carnival is a biweekly online event open to anyone. Participants write on a one-word prompt or topic. This week's is "gentleness".

Go here for a list of links to all of the contributions, which are posted throughout Tuesday and often sometimes through to the end of the week.

The Blog Carnival's FaceBook page is here.