What God Wants (Pear Cycle III)
Brandon Cook
What God wanted for all those medieval kings and peasants and all peoples of the earth
Was the ripeness of a perfect pear
Or a tomato redolent in red
Or an apple whose good skin when cracked was temptation unto besetting sin
So close to holy love is carnal lust, when it cloys our deepest sense
But you and I just ate better than any medieval king, my love
Or Senator of ancient Rome
With wine unmarked by bitter earth
And fruit unfettered by assaulting herbs
And as sure as moon pulls at the earth, you’re my sea of deepest mirth
My far away journey, my return to home
Your lips, your laugh, your smile, your breasts,
You kiss of God’s bright love,
You crown my head which is always shaking in wonder
Because
This ecstasy before us could be chalky dust:
If you don’t have love, the food of gods is not enough
But
Sitting across from you, how high the moon shines down
And how deep the swallow dives into our cups
As we sit so close to what God’s own self wants
And is always giving endlessly
Love
Whose alchemy turns the gifts of earth
To gold, of so much dust and dirt