Time stands still on a July evening

As father and son touch eternal truths together

And discover a wider communion

In the fellowship of the saints

Among eucalyptus and tea.

Shaded gravestones recording sacrifice

Among strangers in a complex world

Stir memories of loved ones [1]

Whose loss we grieve

Prompting discovery of a heritage we share.

Personality traits are recognised,

Common gifts acknowledged

As self-awareness grows

And hands of love are strengthened

With a big hand holding.

Learning forces exploration

Of themes of messiah, sacrifice and sacrament

And in a moment we know him

Present in a simple conversation

Gazing across the valley.

So who says to the Lord, you are my Lord, [2]

And says to a father, you are my father, [3]

And who proceeds from whom? [4]

But in this frozen moment they are one [5]

In the timelessness of now.

The hills roll down into the future of the plains below

Separating with a reminder

That time will not stand still forever,

But the treasures of a moment and a lifetime

Must be stored in the memory of passing days.

Coonoor

August 1990

[1] At the grave of Stanley Beer in the Leopard's Hill, provoking questions about André's grandfathers.

[2] Psalm 110: 1

[3] Psalm 2:7

[4] The Holy Spirit - he proceeds from the father and the son.

[5] Father, Son and Spirit are perfectly three in one.