Francis

When they tried to buy your soul

you opted out and left the market place

where everything was up for sale,

where every one was hopelessly

caught up in costs and gain.

You give up a career to choose the WAY,

exchange hectic stagnation for the journey

moving towards the goal.

Out of the flood of business deals

you cultivate the land for landless people

to settle them on fertile ground

of confidence and trust.

Your battle for land and life

and dream of wine for all

and for bread, sanctified - just like your body,

broken, shared, multiplied and surrendered.

All that really counts in this life

is a free gift, as is your genius,-

is gift and is forgiveness,

thanksgiving, Eucharist.

Your righteousness of empty hands

bears the marks of the Cross and of tenderness.

Francis, you sign of contradiction,

earth and heaven, plough and bell.

From within the world of the poor

you sound the tocsin for the other worlds

and plough the sound track of peace

into the ways of the heart

of every day life.