Nothing May Be Lost

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. John 6:1-15 

Nothing May Be Lost

She made me promise as I went out
to take this large basket with me today
I could not possibly eat it all
but Mama has a way of insisting.

I climbed the mounitan with the corwd
so many different kinds of faces and tongues
they sat listening closely to the teacher
he had a way of making us all safe.

I overheard the leaders talking to the side
so many were hungry and far from home
so many without nourishment nor money
but I still had my basket full from home.

I offered what I had with me though small
it was carried to the teacher and he smiled
everyone sat down and the basket went round
everyone was full to a sleepy overflowing.

I looked about and everyone was smiling
the insisted on  basket from my mother
the burden I did not want to carry today
became a miracle feast for this vast multitide.

I wander home down the hill with the basket
once a burden now the story of my young life
a tale of miracle, love and abundance
where once there was  loss and emptiness.