Take Faith, a poem by Jay Gadhia, read to us by the poet themself on Christmas Day
Start with an empty 10 ounce heart.
Combine shreds of scripture along with a generous spoonful of sage ... like wisdom.
Allow thousands of years of practice down an ancient bloodline.
Light an oil lamp and burn resin along with herbs until the wisps of smoke settle on every fibre of you. Let the wind claim it as a physical prayer being sent to anyone who catches scent of it on an Easterly breeze.
Grease environment generously to prevent the sweetness getting stuck.
Measure out and combine two parts compassion to one part empathy and sift to ensure any hard lumps of hatred do not find their way into the mix.
If any lumps remain in your saviour sieve, discard.
Use your bare hands placed palm to palm and ensure warmth to create a direct pathway between a now filled good quality heart towards a 1 and a half kilo brain.
Check for seasoning by tasting the blood and body of a sacred prayer on your tongue.
It will often taste bitter but will become sweet if left to one side and allowed space for reflection.
Leave to prove over several pilgrimage journeys until you achieve a ribbon drop consistency of connection with the nature of beauty, of identity, of self and of home.
If this technique is performed correctly, once baked, the mixture should rise like the swell of music in your soul.
You will find yourself in hot water occasionally, the trick is to use the scalding liquid in a Bain Marie to gently melt a lifetime of questions and challenges and offer it to God in the small hours of the morning in the hope for answers.
As a final garnish, I dare you to you look God in the eye and tell him you are pure.
And that you’re sorry.
The question is whether he would believe you.
And if he decides to answer you back, he will leave jasmine petals in your mouth, so that every person you speak to going forwards will feel like they too are in the garden, feeling the sunshine on their face.
Successful outcome may vary based on the recipe passed down from your ancestors
For best results, not all complaints are to be referred to your manufacturer.
Serve warm.