When petals from a lavender
larkspur drop onto the gray
rock on the mantel, I let them
stay where they fall, next
to the empty vase,
shocking myself later,
chilled in bone and flesh
by dead blossoms on cold stone
beside a vessel, powerless.
Since 1900, the Christian Century has published reporting, commentary, poetry, and essays on the role of faith in a pluralistic society.
© 2026 The Christian Century.
When petals from a lavender
larkspur drop onto the gray
rock on the mantel, I let them
stay where they fall, next
to the empty vase,
shocking myself later,
chilled in bone and flesh
by dead blossoms on cold stone
beside a vessel, powerless.
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