Quiet Quaker Meeting

Quiet Quaker Meeting

The meeting is slowly centring down

Sunday morning in leafy Monkstown

A silence fills the quiet void 

My eyes wander towards the tree outside

That frames the window in the sky

Sitting and waiting for the Spirit to whisper

At times it's wonderful but mostly it's littler 

But it's honest and equal and ever so caring

At times quite somber yet oft entertaining. 

We come here to worship

And pray without knowing

What effect it will have

On a world that is growing

Apart every day. 

Whatever about prayers 

At times  actions speak louder

Is it the social justice

Of which we are prouder?

With an eye for the poor,

The distressed and the maimed

With a passion for causes

That receive no acclaim. 

But humble and worthy 

All the same. 

Then comes the coffee

The tea and the chat

The friendly smile 

And occasional pat. 

With always an eye

For those who are absent

Though illness or old age

It's uncommonly decent. 

Slowly the room drains

All that remains

Is the sudsy wash up

By the regular crew 

Always the reliable few. 

Come to me you who washed and dried

You who catered and you who served

The coffee and the tea 

For in feeding them

You were feeding me.