Broken Pieces

In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance." His disciples replied, "How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?" He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven." Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd. They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed. They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. Mark 8:1-10 

Broken Pieces

The glass is shattered and broken
colors refracted in the morning sun
a riot of light and shading become
a perfect memorial stained glass window.

These seemingly leftovers and castoff
become the basis for a new recipe
breakfast that serves a hungry family
a feast for those with the very least.

We each alone are these broken pieces
the cast offs of the great miraculous banquet
we are part of the great impossibilities of God
we are gathered up and never lost.

The great artist examines each lone piece
taking time to see each prism of light and color
letting our best dance with other broken ones
we become permanent great works of art.