Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FEAST OF PADRE CHALA, by THOMAS WALSH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FEAST OF PADRE CHALA, by                    
First Line: There are solemn figures walking up the roadway to
Last Line: "praise saint thomas, of tocaima -- none can question now or doubt him!"
Alternate Author Name(s): Gill, Roderick; Strange, Garrett
Subject(s): Saints; South America


There are solemn figures walking up the roadway to Tocaima;
There are gestures and loud talking 'neath sombreros and umbrellas;
For the sun is shining brightly through the palms along the valley,
And the bells are tinkling lightly for the feast-day of Saint Thomas.
Padre Chala, with bandanna stands and greets them from the doorway --
And the belfry rings Hosanna as they mount unto the chapel;
Padre Gomez de Camilla, on his easy-pacing mula,
And the Padre Carrasquilla, reining in his restive stallion.
While on foot come Fray Ansado, rector of the Recoletos,
Padre Ramon de Tejado, preacher from the Jesuitas,
And the portly Fray Rosildo, from the house of San Domingo.
And lean Fray Hermenegildo, from Our Lady de la Pena.
Carmelites and Augustinians, Escolapians and Marists,
And their steps become the faster near the belfry of Tocaima.
All are airing their opinions, as they tread the dusty highway;
Where the Padre Chala, pastor, is awaiting with his dinner.
In the early morn the squawking from the barnyard of the Cura,
Set the neighborhood a-talking of the chickens old Jesusa
Was preparing for the dinner of the feast-day of the parish.
What a spread for saint and sinner! -- Cool papayas, aguacates;
Juicy yuccas and melones, with the platanos and pinas,
And the maizes and rinones, from the sopa to the dulces!
As the Cura asked the blessing, and his guests were bowed in silence,
One could hear the parrot calling from the garden a petition --
"Pray for us!" (it was the loro) "Pray for us, O great Saint Thomas!"
As it learned it from the coro and had chanted and repeated,
Years without a variation -- "Pray for us, O great Saint Thomas!"
And from this demure oration, it had never deigned to vary,
Though the brightest minds had striven, with most implicating questions
To have explanations given for devotion so exclusive;
But the Cura their endeavor answered -- "Ask not what Saint Thomas --
'Tis our patron-saint, however, our Saint Thomas of Tocaima!"
Padre Ramon, forward leaning, with his finger made objection:
"Yet the customary meaning of the Church in such connections,
With no other term appended, is to indicate Apostles --
So 'twould seem to us intended, that this sole ejaculation
Of the loro, is the Doubter -- Thomas Didymus, Apostle!"
Fray Rosildo, red and stouter, choking down a piece of chicken,
Gave it out as his opinion, where there was a greater figure
In theology's dominion, such as Thomas the Aquinas,
That his claims should be admitted in the naming of the patron.
Padre Carrasquilla twitted Padre Ramon's orthdoxy,
Blinking through his glasses merry: "Should we seek distinguished patrons,
There is Thomas Canterbury, if we won't accept Apostles!"

While an Augustinian friar: "He, of Spanish Villanova,
Our Saint Thomas," he'd inquire -- "how about him as a patron?"
While they argued, there came swooping o'er the patio a falcon,
Which dropped down upon the loro, scooping it amid its talons,
While the priests and servants hurried, as it rose above the garden,
Where poor Padre Chala worried, and bemoaned his ravished loro.
Sudden in the upper reaches of the noontide's blazing splendor,
Woke the startled loro's screeches: "Pray for us, O great Saint Thomas!"
And the frightened falcon, hearing, loosed its prey and soared defeated --
While the loro reappearing, took his perch and sat unruffled.
Then the Padre Chala kneeling, with his pious guests around him,
Raised his broken voice, appealing: "'Tis a miracle of Heaven!
Let us cease our disputations, raise no further points about him --
Praise Saint Thomas, of Tocaima -- none can question now or doubt him!"





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