Sarah baked bread like she practiced religion—
always vigilant, generous, secure.
The prayers, like bread, were delivered first to others
gifting neighbors the comfort that comes
from handmade gifts.
She didn’t accumulate money, distributing wealth instead
in the form of prayers, good conversation
and homemade bread.
Sarah went to church every day, her sensible heels clicking down the aisle.
The church still stands but is now a brewery.
Beer vats at the altar and pew seated booths.
Sermons replaced by pierogies and frosted glasses.
Breaking bread there 50 years later I think
how my great grandmother loved both Jesus and Elvis
how a brewery can look like a church
how prosperity can be measured by homemade bread.
About the Poet
Hannah Napier Rosenberg is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Hannah Napier Rosenberg resides in Boston, Massachusetts. She love writing about magic in the ordinary and is wildly interested in seemingly mundane details of daily life. She sees poetry as a way to commemorate people, moments and experiences. You can check out her some of her other writing online here, find her on Instagram @hannahrowrites, and get in touch via email at hannahrowrites@gmail.com.
For the first time in nearly five years, Vita Brevis is closed for submission. Read the full story here.
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