Christa[1] Unexpected
I am a member of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis[2]. At a recent meeting one of our group, who keeps their Spiritual Journal by writing poetry, encouraged all of us to write a poem there and then.
These were my words.
On a Wednesday midweek
I first glimpsed you.
Or was it you who captured
my eye and my heart?
Rusting in a quiet chapel alcove,
A fragile dance of tiny wires
gently wrapped around each other,
bringing you to life.
With arms outstretched
and head bowed low
your pose told your story.
But more than that…
Almost at once,
(was it a curve in the chest
or a rounded hip?)
I could only name you ‘She’.
No longer a gaggle of wires,
No more an unexplained piece.
For now and forever,
Christa has come to St Margaret’s.
[This blog ‘Christa Unexpected’ is copyright © Andrew Dotchin 2026 and may be reproduced without charge on condition that the source is acknowledged]
[1] For a brief history of ‘Christa’ and a further poem by Nicolas Slee – much deeper than this one – please follow: https://vhchurch.org/the-christa/
[2] When St Francis first began walking in the footsteps of Christ so many of the local townsfolk were inspired to imitate him that fields and farm animals were being left untended and uncared for. To encourage the embodiment of the vocation to a life of simple humble obedience he founded a Third Order. (The First Order were celibate peripatetic friars, and The Second Order an enclosed Order of women led by St Clare). Today men and women ‘following the ordinary professions of life’ make up assorted Third Orders across the breadth of the Christian faith. Find out more here.
Suffolk Vicar 