Lenten Reflection

What if Lent, this lengthy
entry into Spring —
bereft of birdsong,
flowers, warmth:
a “fast” perhaps, but slow –

What if this unwelcome word
took on a different cast?
Instead of time without —
a time of plenty;
A time “lent” to us by God
to fill our treasure chests of clay;
Borrowed time; Kairos time, tucked
within the Chronos of our day.

Would the ashes then remind us of
the stardust which we are —
promising that time, no longer borrowed,
will endure?

What if our “alleluias,” buried now in
purple tones,
can still shine through that filmy veil,
to greet the Bridegroom when He comes?

What if …?