Seminary, 1966

They walk

A regiment to their God

Chosen for His new flock

Marching like schoolchildren

A tarmac straight

By trees that shelter

Shadows of past priests.

At the silver gates they halt

Spy the other world

Their leader stones his face

Vows eyes downward

Crosses them to devotions in the cathedral.

Here is training

Watching virtue

Another man’s glory, gloved by a white collar.

The boys see their altar.

The street has shut

but it threads

a world that haunts them in vespers

whispers a World Cup

on Black and White television sets

people in ‘that sex world’ see.

Envied England wins.

They know physical

is mandatory here,

to regiment games

exercises, swims.

Some keep passion inside

pray to Him

for endless vocation.