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POEM
December Soup Kitchen

Darlene Klassen

He was sitting in a chair reading
    when we first walked in,
taking an occasional nacho from the bowl beside him,
    never lifting his eyes to acknowledge our presence,

Eight women exchanging their kitchens for a day
for these stainless steel counters,
    freezers stocked with yesterday’s banquets
    in a room soon to be filled with the hungry ones.

We were given a brief orientation, and then left
    to fend for ourselves:
Few directions, little supervision,
    ice cream pails filled with mashed potatoes,
    trays of sliced ham, frozen beans,
    and 3 hours till lunch.

The young man eventually put down his book
and told us where the juice pitchers were
as he passed by.

Next time through he stopped a while to visit
    and give us a hand.
His name was James (he was here with his high school work program).

By noon the doors opened and we were ready.

One man called us angels
    as he looked down the row of women from another world
    we just laughed and filled his tray with food

A little one peered through the glass
    smiling as she received her meal

A family of three, a toddler in a stroller

A tall woman, around my age,
    unable to hide the tremors in her hand

A posse of junior high boys, coming from school for a lunch
    . . .or maybe they hadn’t been in school

One had recently been in a fight
    and probably would soon fight again

Another looked like he’d been cold for a very long time

Smells of sweat and baked ham and alcohol and perfume

When the stainless steel was clean again,
    James was washing the floors.

We said goodbye . . . still not really sure
    if he was one of us
    or one of them

or maybe
    he was the angel.

Darlene Klassen is a member of Coaldale (Alta.) MB Church.

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Last modified May 26, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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