Child, deep down

You, child, reach deep down there,
into the deep opening of the earth,
the serpent's home. Not the cursed one,
but the eternal swallow, the staffed
snake, the swirl of your veins,
the path of you blood. Reach there,
into your depths, into your childlike
self, your revealed self, hidden person
freed from the lowliness of winter
and summer's despair. Reach down
and grow from there, flourish as justice
in the time of God's peace, with
blessed eyes that see what prophets and
humble rulers once only
imagined, now known
through the Son for the Father's good pleasure,
in the vitality of the Holy Spirit's
delightful fruit. Gather, now, all,
all you children and creatures—
those that bear piercing teeth now
purr; which bleat, coo in innocent
frivolity. Commingle around the
table, and banquet the gladness astir,
and taste that depth, that true good, that
endless end.