JUST HIM AND ME MCMLXXI

A YOUTH IN AN ABBEY IN 1971 HAUNTED BY A WOMAN

Dom James sent George and I
to clean out the guttering
on the back of the abbey
a view of the Solent
from where we stood,

Deus videt omnia,

dropped leaves
and bird's feather
clogged the black guttering
made water overflow,

Hugh rang the bells
of the abbey tower
we saw his thin shape enter
no Quasimodo was he,

make love to me
she said make me feel
and feel so I did,

pray as though everything
depended on God
work as though everything
depended on you
Augustine said,

le travail est notre prière
the French monk said
showing me how
to sow seeds
in the abbey garden
summery heat
on black serge,

George swept the refectory
he said sunshine poured in
through the coloured
glass windows
onto the tables
and benches
making patterns on the floor
as an art work,

the Austrain monk sat
by the cloister wall with me
and said
die Heilige Dreifaltigkeit
ist ein Geheimnis,

Mary has a special relationship
with the Trinity
Dom Charles said
daughter of the Father
mother of the Son
and spouse
of the Holy Spirit,

the abbot walked the cloister
black robed
head lowered
in thought or  prayer
hands hidden in the pockets
of his black habit,

you must finger here
she said
and placed my finger
where she meant,

qui Dio ci parla
the Italian monk said
as we brought vegetables
in from the gardens
to the abbey kitchen
where Dom Patrick cooked,

I don't know why
we are here
but I'm pretty sure
that it is not in order
to enjoy ourselves
Gareth said
quoting Wittgenstein
as we sat on the beach
after lunch
casting stones in the sea
just us
him and me.