On my way to work this morning I was thinking about the fact that it is Mardi Gras today, and this poem started forming in my mind. I decided I had to get it out before it was gone. Besides, I needed a new poem to link to dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night later today.
Fat Tuesday
Mardi Gras
We call it Fat Tuesday
It’s the day we eat,
drink and be merry
for tomorrow we shall die
or maybe only diet
We sacrifice the things we love
→chocolate
→sweets
→coffee
→bread
→maybe our favorite TV shows
We attempt by our sacrifice
to understand
the passion of Christ, His suffering,
His sacrifice for us
He really did die,
not just diet
For 40 days we sacrifice
as if we were wandering
in the wilderness, hungry and tired
But each night we sleep in our own
warm, cozy beds
with our stomachs full
even if not with our favorite treats
Can we ever truly understand?
Perhaps not
For today, let’s just eat