Intinction for Modernity

Intinction, but not bread and wine,
but myself dipped in struggle
like the fireman’s hand reaching through fire
and I tell myself again it’s all for the better.

These things I learn
and accepting this communion 
is taking a breath of air
outside the city on an overcast day,
lungs accepting oxygen
more fully without the exhaust.

I drove the 45 minutes to arrive
at this moment, 45 minutes
of traffic and horns and thoughts
contained to myself for 45 minutes
just to get one decent swallow of air
as if this is catching my breath
after a series of moments so easily 
characterized as “life,”
and I tell myself again
it’s all for the better.