The Matrix of Tea is Water—Anna A. Friedrich

"I see you breaking through, revealing real needles in all these smoking haystacks..."

For more articles, videos, books, and resources about faith and art, visit RabbitRoom.com

The Matrix of Tea is Water

by Anna A. Friedrich

My face
comes close
to yours

—by that I mean
I see
bush and flame, barefoot
I see
pillars and pots
that flame, too, and move,
as if living

I see a hand
that writes on walls to warn— 
a bright light, knocks me
off my horse, I'm hearing voices
(thunder?) I see you

breaking 

through, revealing real needles 
in all these smoking
haystacks, but I can only

name the glow
the chariot
a tongue,
   on heads?

Fumbling and veiled, I offer you
a tent
to make you permanent
—but you, dove-like, you ascend
radiant

and all I can say is
up and clouds.

---

Note from the author: “This poem of mine was first published in Ellis Potter’s wonder of a book, The Cloud of Knowing. The book is the material of a lecture I first heard him give at Swiss L’Abri years ago. That lecture truly knocked me off of a metaphorical horse, and was one of the most inspiring teachings I’ve ever had the privilege to hear live. It seemed like I had no choice but to respond by writing a poem.”

Anna A. Friedrich is a poet and Arts Pastor in Boston, Massachusetts. You can find more of her work at annaafriedrich.substack.com