| Dorothy Niederberger's Poems Hallelujah Even the ass was weary, and Mary's spouse, Who led him from inn to inn, from house to house Hearing, "We're all filled up, no room, no room!" Knowing that life within the virgin's womb Was waxing impatient, eager at length for birth, Must have been tempted to fall to the hard earth In bleak despair, but he gave no sign, And Mary forbid all unshed tears to shine In eyes heavy with sleeplessness and dust, She longed for privacy, and each new thrust Of pain grew harder to conceal, and then They found the stable, blessed shelter when There were no other quarters to be had. Soon they joined the angels in their gland HALLELUJAH! Oh, Jesus, on an earth, frightened, war-torn, Let us remember that first Christmas morn; Let us refuse despair, and though we grope In darkness for a while, greet joy and hope, HALLELUJAH! A War Widow; Her Prayer We are the ones he left behind— His wife, his child. I cannot find Words sufficient to express The measure of my loneliness. Numb was my mind, my heart, my soul, How could I play a widow's role Who had so lately been a bride Rapturous with love and pride? I could not work, I could not rest, Oh God, mine was a bitter test! Resignation's hard to gain By a will immersed in pain. He never saw his little boy, Denied me was a mother's joy Of pride shared in a first-born one, Of hearing father's plans for son. But he was brave, I had to be Equal to his trust in me, So I prayed, dear God, I prayed, And so in time my grief allayed. Now many more are called to fight, Their lives still new, their dreams still bright; They want a chance when combat's done To finish plans they've scarce begun. Oh help them, God, they've naught to fear, Their prayers will keep You ever near, If they must die, then let them stand Justified, at Thy right hand. And help the ones who wait in vain, To dry their tears, to smile again. But, as for me, do not erase Remembrance of his last embrace. Let not his memory grow too dim For I must tell our child of him, So that his son may some day be As strong in faith and hope as he. Little Flower A flower is a wondrous thing. Fragile, fragrant, giving Joy from an unused lot, Accent to gracious living. Flowers! White as Niagara's froth. Pale-tinted, colored boldly, Where is heart so frigid that It views a blossom coldly? A flower is a wordless poem, Prayer offered cupped in petals, A jewel surpassing earth's precious stones, Bedimming rarest metals. Little Flower, your perfume is Both earthly and supernal, Your life as marked by men, so short, Your life in God, eternal. Send your shower of roses upon Men who are parched with thirst For a God they cannot know Till they learn to place Him first. Spring Invitation that God alone can give To an earth that longs to live With faith. Spring is a bit of God's beauty unfurled, A ribbon of green to encircle the world With hope. Spring is a bit of God's tenderness For a world He yearns to bless With love. Almost His wife finds such keen delight In proving that she's always right, He almost feels that it is quite A virtue when he picks a fight! Four Lines A little bird awakened me From his perch on our gum tree, Glorifying God. I, too, Can sing! And you, and you, and YOU! No harsh taskmaster, one to prod Us ever harder, is our God! He'd rather we'd pause once in a while To learn to pray, to learn to smile. 1970 New Year's Eve's a time of jollity and fun, And when it's over and a brand New Year's begun, Let us carry with us much more than pleasure—joy! So 1970 will always be a boy. At heart as he ages, always young in hope, For it is the hope, the joy, that lets us cope With the daily problems, the trials that come our way. This could be the year wars forever cease, The very year the world at last finds a true peace, Death of racism, all hate. Let us pray The year brings a true progress until its final day. Another World My child's world of "pretend" Is one I can't inhabit; It has origin and end But I can't reach out and grab it To hold till I can board it. I hope for a few more years He'll cherish it and hoard it Together with his peers. It's a lot like our first parents' garden And soon he'll be banished too. Innocence is short lived and pardon Must ever be won anew. Alas, What A Lack! I wanted success like Jean Kerr's. Had a family (all boys) like hers. Then something went wrong, Or it wouldn't have been long Till I swaggered in diamonds and furs. My garden can boast of no flowers Encouraged by me and spring showers Except for the daisy. Some folks call me lazy As they tend to their roseate bowers. But eat them my offspring would not, Though they beckoned from each vase and pot. It seems such a pity! I could have been witty, But my inspiration is what? A Day For All Christmas is not just a day for children, As so many people are wont to say; It's a day that's woven of joy, To warm us as we go our way. Its warp and woof are faith and hope— No cynics welcome by my tree! It's a day for making friends, None are strangers whom we see. So if you believe it's just for a child, Be a child for its stay, For the wisdom of a child Hangs a star to light one's way. A Moment With God A moment with God is a moment of peace If pride can be shed; then conflicts cease. A moment with God can show me why I am, and it can show me I Am part of His scheme. All the dignity I know is what He has given me. A Home A HOME IS: The faith of a child, A parent's hope, Love of a spouse, All the brightness, Consideration That warm a house. A potted ivy, Shining windows, A welcome mat. A home is not Just a place To hang a hat. To clean, repair, Paint and plant, These—love's labor, Because we know A home is really Heaven's neighbor. Armor Painlessness, ease, security— We would woo these at length, Though they have no more futurity Than the thinnest glass. But hope has surprising tactility, And tensile strength, That serves us in debility Better than a cuiras. A Child's Laughter A child's laughter Falls on a bone gray day And, dying leaves A pearlish overlay. Uninvited, It enters the heart of gloom, inevitably Causing certain doom. A child's laughter Is a blessing on mankind— The antidote For tears that seek to blind. A House Blessed With Children You may tidy your house from bottom to top Or from top to bottom, if you choose, But you'll pick up from morning to night Without any choice, yet you'll lose! As you put away what others deposit Outside the proper bureau or closet, They'll follow your uncluttered trail With a tenacity that makes you quail, Giving your house that "lived in" look A built-in talent lets them brook. Ah, Me Fond follower of Terpsichore, His feet glide o'er the parquetry— Then home after we're all abed, Resume their elephantine tread! And Then Christmas Wind that wails more than it whispers, Talk of toys by little lispers; Chilly carolers on cold corners, Sighs from shivery Mondy mourners; Shovels scraping snow from paving, Shoppers spending Christmas savings; Students shuffling through the slush, Footfalls, then a sudden "shush"; Fairy tales by flickering firs, Extra efforts by church choirs; Skiers, skaters, snowball hurlers, Proust peruses, patient purlers; Midnight chimes that call to Mass You and me and all who pass! At Willock And Brownsville Road He's always ready with a smile In snow or rain or shine As he sees to a safe crossing For those kids of yours and mine. He greets everyone who passes— Young, middlin' or old, And though icy winds may redden cheeks, His voice is never cold. He almost seems a fixture Here year in, year out, And we tend to take for granted What we never do without. But I'd like to pay a tribute, And I know you'll all agree, He is a daily asset To this community! Before Thanksgiving Let's bend our knees And lift our hearts And raise our voices in praise. Let us, God, please, Ere the feasting starts And the merriment of the holidays, Acknowledge these Gifts love imparts Sustain us all our days. Crash - No Cash Blue Cross is great But he owes his new fender To a good credit rating And a licensed money lender Blessed Indeed Blest is he who patience hath When there are many to share one bath; And doubly blest he who hath the power To endure an icy tub or shower. Bondage Strong, uncompromising, gentle and forgiving, Boldly defined pattern of loving in His living, Defined; not complex, simple, Christ stands in history, His laws of willing sharing clear, not mystery. Bright-carved into earth's inky night, Ebon-etched upon sun's light! We seek to rest and find our very lids engraved With Christ, by Christ. Eye's ecstasy to be enslaved! Brentwood Library Our library is the most inviting of places; There are always some friendly faces Behind the desk, and there are the rows Of beckoning books. The choice grows. Numerous magazines, current and back Issues are placed on an attractive rack. You may pick a "whodunit" or try to find Something to develop the mind. It's so much fun to simply browse For something that will surely arouse Your interest and you look ahead To a cozy hour of reading in bed. A library card gives much more pleasure Than this short verse could hope to measure. Just call it an unburied TREASURE! Cereal Ads I have not one but all of five Young supercharged sons in my hive! If a certain food gave them such pep I'd eat it, too. (Of course I'm hep To all the ads) but I can't compete With them although I eat and eat So what to do? Give them some tasks They can perform while mother basks Long in the sun, renews her stores Of vim, while they lightened her chores. Try it one and you'll soon find Their vigor's roots are in the mind. Discover whence their spirits stem And try evaporating them. Go easy, though, do not alloy That fun synonymous with BOY! Compromise I long to be weightless out in space, But NASA won't let me try it, And so I'll settle for a painless, Effective weigh-less diet— Changing The World I would give to each atheist, agnostic, belief; To those who grope despairingly, new hope; To all, a wealth of love to lighten grief. I would join men's voices in adoration To rock the heavens with mighty crescendo And secure the world in firm foundation. I would give men's efforts to righting wrongs; Their spirits to climbing, their hands to work To help the weak become strong. Antithesis L ucid O penhearted V italizing E nergizing H yberbolic A cidulating T wo-edged E nervating Crescendo A thought of heaven was broken away So smithereens could blow our way; A sun prayer-coaxingly resplendent Over paten-like lake descendent, The hush that is night's valediction Winged chorus giving benediction, The breeze hovering in gentle fashion Near willow trees, or wild wind's passion. When heaven's vista is unfurled Before our eyes, we'll know the world Is blest by a whispering that increases To a crescendo when life ceases. Compassion Is it because you've been denied A grief that you can show, And only in your heart have cried, That you're so wont to know A wordless way of solacement To ease another's woe? God bless you for the comfort lent And His on you bestow. Diet Decision When temptation buds In the form of mashed spuds, It's easy to nip, But be its form wetter, He feels it far better To let himself sip! Doldrums The precious pennies I'd been hoarding For that perfume most exotic, Just paid the tab for equal drams Of some newfangled antibiotic. Discontent The steps go up and up, as far as man can see, His legs are strait and strong and he has joints that bend With an unaching ease that time has yet to end. He struggles up, but soon falls back upon one knee. There's not contentment in him, but what is much worse still, There is no discontent to jolt his flaccid will. He sits there with his young back supported by a tree Until he sees day shorten and fears night will be long, Then hurries frantically to overtake the throng. Now he gropes for the steps, Night winds inevitably. Discontent—too late—is tears to blind his eyes, A lump he cannot swallow, a plentitude of sighs. Don't Ask Me I don't mind my age, And that's a fact, But "It's none of your business" Seems lacking in tact. Easter EASTER A song in a heart, A light in a soul. A beacon to guide A man to his goal. BELLS Ceaselessly ring! The Savior shall be Forever alive With love and we... AND WE... Who knew the cross And didn't take flight Shall find the sun After the night. Envy Her figure is swanker than mine Which is unsvelte, Yet the foods for which I hander Are encircled by her belt! Easter Today the trillium push through the sod, And all nature is awakening to glorify God. The Easter bells ring out our gladness, Obliterating Good Friday's sadness, While hearts are light with faith and hope And love. Just like a heliotrope Turns lightward, do we face the Son Through who salvation has been won. Easter Bells Rejoice with the bells as they dance and ring. Echoing the chorus that men's hearts sing Because of a miracle wrought to bring Life where death had lately reigned, Life eternal, blessed, unfeigned! Faith, hope, love, increased, sustained, Fill the skies with glorious sound. Ring, bells, while men's thanks profound Hallow the awakening ground. Easter Message Hope, whisper spring breezes, the message of God, Hope, breathes the sun as it greens the dewed sod. Hope's in early matins the birds trill today, Hope's in the gay surf's reiterative lay. Hope that once in a stable was born, Echoes, reechoes, on this glorious morn. Eva's In Love Eva's in love! Her face is alight With the knowledge that she is loved in return. Her smile reflects the warmth of her being, Ignited with a fire that faith lets burn. Eva's in love, and the Master of Love Has marked her, claiming her for His own, With a beauty that is not of earthly clay, Not easily molded of flesh and bone. Eva's in love! May her ardor endure Till all trials are over and heaven is sure. Enhancement In her sheer nylon Easter dress, She's such a lovely miss, I smooth her hair—favored caress— And beg just one more kiss. Yet when Easter Monday is here And she's just a grimy tyke, Dabbling in all mud that's near Or tumbling from her trike, Before her bath is even run, I'll toss her in the air, Or find a grown-up's special fun In tousling tangled hair, And I'll think that, as I hold her close, With her eyes made up with soot, And with her screened door latticed nose, There is nothing I could put Upon a beauty conscious queen To endear her to herself, As red on the lips of a jelly bean Does my disheveled elf! Ennui In An Art Gallery One sinks in poetry profound While a friend skims verse nearly nursery simple; A man likes sculpture angular And his mate buys cupid with a dimple. True scholars con what could confound Others, love images thought whittles; A multitude daily seek the words That brew a lighter beer and skittles. A coward will suffer without a sound, Fearing discovery in a pose By lorgnetted group that eyes all others Down its long collective nose. But look, that man! Will there be found A gifted artisan to capture On canvas, without sardonic touch, This abstract? Inner absent rapture? Then something of his essence will astound Many out on a cultural sally, Something true to his image as his forthright grin As he knocks 'em down in the bowling alley. Good-Bye It's hard, soldier, to say good-bye! To force a smile, forbid a tear, Betray one's heart while you're still near. Play acting is a wartime art Perfected when two close must part. No one is fooled. No one can say There has been found a better way. Gesundeit Why do I hear "Gesundheit" Only when I sneeze, Are you then so unaware When I cough and wheeze, And must I go upon my way, Lonely albeit it proudly, Cherishing no word you say, As I hiccup loudly? For Our Country Let charity be the pulse of the nation As hope is its lifeblood, faith the seed of creation; Then each measured beat will find it much nearer That perfection of love which is Deity's mirror. On Memorial Day Today let's pray for those who have fallen In mankind's foolish wars— Our own, allies, our enemies, Unnumbered as the stars. For their families and friend, So bitterly bereft, Remembering though when life is gone, Life in God is left. Let us pray for those still suffering, Minds, bodies scarred in battle, Beg God that man can finally learn Not to slaughter men like cattle. On this day, let prayers more numerous Than uncounted days of sorrow Wing there way to Him who would Man planned a better marrow. Our Jewel Sometimes quarrelsome, often grubby, With instant laughter, nose still stubby, Unlaced shoes, and hole in pants, A heart full of courage but a mouth full on "can'ts," We do not claim a flawless gem But one as perfect for its setting as a rose is for a stem! Peace is the prize Who has held a baby close, Cheek to cheek where beard Will someday grow and recognized What is to be feared? Who has seen a baby boy Tall and Khaki dressed, In shoes with spit and polish shine And trousers sharply pressed, Seen pride nascent in his eyes, Alloyed still by sorrow, Knowing childhood's yesterday, Uncertainty's tomorrow, Who has borne a baby boy, And wished to world were wise So when his manhood was attained, PEACE would be his prize? Pair Of Hearts Fashion your greeting of love and prayers And send them to your friends in pairs— One of each, for though one finds Valentines of various kinds, If you follow this direction, Yours will be "Deluxe selection," Honoring a saint in a special way And bring God's blessings on your day! Let us pray for those still suffering, Minds bodies scarred in battle, Peter's Plaint He almost lost his voice When telling her she was his choice. Now small matter if he lose it, He gets so little chance to use it! Perseverance There is no way to count to sost When a worthy cause is lost So count on making new beginnings Until the day you total winnings. Pride Goeth Before... Loudly liturgical, my voice rang out Euphoniously, no off-key shout. I'd set an example. The timid need Such as to take the lead. But verse number four when three's the order? Forgive me, pride's gone, celestial recorder, As my vivid face shows those below. Swift my fall to pianissimo! I may even use my book and eyeglasses When participating in future Masses. Reality The beloved does not appear dead, but as though sleeping. This thought most callers seem intent on keeping Before the quite numb mind of the bereft. But night must come. When there is nothing left For her but to crawl into a lonely bed, She knows she does not sleep; nor do the dead. Run-A-Way Snowflakes swirl crazily toward the frozen ground, Lighting in hollow, topping a mound. The wail of the wind is an eerie sound. Heartlessly cold, the moon sheds its light On a farm house drowning in snow waves of white. Its windows unhardened all through the night. A daughter's been missing since the morning before, Eyes frantically wander from window to door, Though a note says she'll be returning no more. Quiet is thunderous round a radio's drone,— The blizzard has struck dumb the wall telephone. Tears sting like acid, hearts outweigh stone. The wind will die, the snow will melt, The phone will be heard as well as felt In the room where a family gathered and knelt. Reflections Of Truth I like to feel I am unflurried, Performing my chores in manner unhurried As do all those soap opera wives, Whose glamour is unscratched by hectic lives, But by dinner my mirror projects an image Of one who is glad she's survived the scrimmage. Newlyweds She's conentent in her wifedom Even though she'll opine That the fun of the hunt Was excitingly fine. And he now is wondering— In no event sorry— Was he a grand hunter Or not too loath quarry? Sean Tow-haired, blue-eyed, cherubic, With dimples going, coming, Always busy, though deeming time Is endless, always growing More into one's heart to stay; Though mischievous in mien, He is always ready with A kiss to crown a queen! South Side The South Side teems with life, The pulsating mill with its thousands of hearts, A flag-bearing moon shines upon The hospitals with their sleepless emergency rooms, And the sun warms the hearts of shoppers no more Than the kindly proprietors of its unnumbered small business establishments; Trolleys clang, trains compete with industries' sounds, Pedestrians hurry or loiter according to their missions. On the narrow sidewalk before their red brick home Two tiny brothers play "Cowboy and Indian," seeing Only wide open plains, hearing only voices dead Before they were a desire. Somewhere a dog barks, a pigeon coos, and old man Naps on his front stoop, weary from inactivity. Skimming Along Not to feel so deeply, would it be like heaven or hell? How is it to whisper at a game where others yell, To ask and not receive, offer and never give, To regularly breathe in and out and know by that you live? Not to feel so deeply would mean meeting death unscarred After engaging in a bout in which all holds were barred, Or standing before an easel perfectly amused To clutch a palette to your breast, each vivid shade unused. Spring Story A toddler thinks dandelions are flowers, To his daddy they are weeds, But long before they're either one, They are just tiny seeds. I believe they grow to the golden periods A spring story really needs. Song Of Spring F ortissimo A ria I n T he H eart H ymn O f P eace E verlasting L yric O f V ernal E quinox Sunset The crimson stain rapidly spreading in the west Tells me another day must soon be put to rest With all my other yesterdays. If you hear me sigh, It is not in vain regret that it must die, Only in remorse because I have abused So many fleeting moments I could have better used In many ways. If God gives me one more tomorrow, I pray I will not see it go with the same sort of sorrow. Halloween I bless ghosts and goblins on their way, But angels, stay a while, I pray! Angels in sneakers with gauzy wings And sacks of bubble gum and things That little girls (not angels) eat,— Little girls on winged feet,— Who yet will pause for admiration And, masked, hope for identification, Some hems may be bedraggled now, Lovingly starched wings go limp somehow, But the happiness on each small face Is a small bit of heaven's grace. Happiness Happiness doesn't grow in a state of mind, It's roots must reach deeper, into the soul; If left unnourished, we'll soon find They've withered. Neglect asks a bitter toll. Holy Week Our hearts are hard indeed If Good Friday leaves them untouched; If the soul is not shamed by its sin And the cross is not hungrily clutched Anew to each breast! And on Easter Day, As hope is reborn in every soul, Let's resolve that we will never forget The resurrection that is our goal. Grammar I would feel that all corrections Fell on deaf ears, But the youngsters note my defections And that allays all fears. His Birthday Almost two thousand years ago a Savior cam to earth. Christmas is the day on which we celebrate his birth As many know. Although some claim that He is only man, Others believe he is divine and many of us can Acknowledge although faith is ours, in many ways we fail To live up to the lessons of the Jesus who we hail As God. Today is the day we can be born again in love And give to Him our promises to lead a life above Our past. Bethlehem, we know your star will never dim In hearts that serve and love all men upon this earth for Him! Faith Why would lilacs smell so sweet, Lilies, roses, too, compete, If God were dead? Why would birds still fly on high, Sing so blithely, why should I Think God is dead? Toddlers' laughter still rings out, Babies coo and youngsters shout, With joy. God lives. Oldsters pray and don't despair, Invalids are given care And know God lives. God abides with you and me. The world holds proof that we can see. God is not dead. The world is God's. There's evil, yes, But to all who will confess That God lives on, God gives protection. Not the length, But quality, of life brings strength To nourish faith. The Answer When I try to be funny, I can't make the grade, Yet smiles burgeon When I think I'm staid; I'm a party success If I rehearse, Beforehand, scintillation In reverse. Tears Tears come easily to youth and to senility, Displaying more or less poignant grief, But sometimes we can't see The hurt that aches behind dry eyes, The pain a smile can hide, The tears that flow inside a man Who was a boy that cried. Thank You, God Dear little Mark, To this world so new, With a welcoming smile To greet me and you— His darkly brown head And inquiring eyes, Mind trying to fathom The world's vague replies; Soft dimpled elbows And sturdy small knees, Whole body aquiver With an effort to please, Add up to our Mark, An enchanting treasure Who merits concern And gives so much pleasure! We praise the Creator As we joyfully lift Our hearts in thanksgiving For this unparallel gift. Thanksgiving Every day that's our's for living Should be one marked by thanksgiving. Yet being human, we forget! More the reason not to let This day especially set aside For such a worthwhile purpose slide Into oblivion. Let us pray To god with gratitude today— Ask Him to teach us thrift and sharing. Make us ever grateful, caring For our neighbor. He'll show the way We can grow a mite each day. Thanksgiving Today believers join in warm thanksgiving Differences in creed blessedly blend For all gifts flow from one common Father With faith the best of all the heaven lent. Indoors, the tables gleam with china, silver, For such a feast the setting should be grand; Outdoors, the first white flakes of faded autumn Give holiday garb to the well gleaned land. Though winter may be long, spring a desire, We shall not want in spite of constant need. The gifts of summer, autumn, will sustain us While we guard well our treasure chest of seed. The Babysitter Her friends say the best babysitter yet Is a good cartoon show on the TV set; But her young'uns refuse to follow convention; What could coax them to sit is a noinvention! The Search So often we look for Christ without His cross To remedy mankind's strife and pain. All our efforts must add up to loss For such a Christ is not, so then in vain We try denying that He was, He is; Then truly we have left the cross alone, Without the courage and the strength that's His, Without hope, despair is all we own. Halloween Mischievous angels, serious clowns, Angelic devils walk our towns; Five-foot babes, ladies so small The highest heels can't make them tall. Watch a grounded bat the while A witch comes by with pleasant smile. Just once a year an eve so mad— So magical—to make one glad No Pied Piper's led away The "Whosit's" that we greet today. Picture an existence that's without A baby's smile, a lad's glad shout! Including My Own "If I had the wings of an angel, Over these prison wall I would fly..." So go the words of an old song, I remember them, smile, then sigh. For an angel has no need of flying, But if I had the wings of a bird I could soar above earth's mad distractions To where echoes perish unheard, There to drown in a deep pool of silence Mouthy nothings revealed as absurd. Heavenly Days If every single won't were would, And each and every can't were could, Each whimper and each whine a whistle, All puzzling questions understood, Were work and leisure wisely spaced, All men honored, none disgraced, Weeds all down without a thistle, No man nor animal displaced, Could we find a bolt for every nut, Replace with compliment each cut, Coax hand to stay, not launch, each missile, This wouldn't be our good earth but... I think that it would be just great! Guess we'll all just have to wait, Yet we can anticipate ...HEAVENLY DAYS! I Know A Priest!! I know a priest who clothes each man, Ignoring age or wit, In garment of sheer dignity, Knowing it will fit. I know a priest whose smile is quick, With empathy God-lent, Who tempers pity with restraint, Compassion heaven-sent! He makes each prayer or homily Sound a paean of praise Of the Creator, knows a song Is another way man prays. A priest is truly one of us, Yet truly set apart, A paradox who saves a soul While he steals a heart. Junior His cosmetics crowd mom's out of the cabinet, And she hides her pomade to keep him from grabbin' it As she sighs over all those weary years Vigilantly inspecting ears, And knows it was not she inspired The polish that he's now acquired. Illusion Peace falls o'er the earth like a serape of dew, Refreshing, Refreshing.... Embracing so gently the cloud-spattered blue, Refreshing, Refreshing.... No bodies lie lifeless, bloodied and broken, No words of despair are uttered. Love's spoken! No hearts stay behind to endure the long waiting, To fight sleepless nights, to guard against hating. Peace, Ah, peace! This dream is so fragile, so fragile, glass-blown, Yet fragrant as mid-summer's grass freshly mown. Haunting, so haunting. Housewife's Lament Once there was a bride In wedding dress and veil; She carried flowers, now she's seen More often with a pail. Her hair is covered with a scarf To chase the dust away, And Dior didn't design the sheath That keeps the cold at bay. She dons no filmy negligee— A coffee coat it's dubbed, And Chanel No. 5 is not Much used after she's tubbed. No bridesmaids, but sons one through five Now follow in her train, And the music she's subjected to Would be Mendelssohn's bane. Yet body aching with fatigue, She tunes in Jack LaLanne, And one then knows the bride still hopes To be reborn of pain. J.F.K. Memoriam Sunshine and moonglow, Starfire, his next tryst With you can't be kept. How briefly you kissed Him, still in his youth! Though intensely he loved you, Such love helped him save The heart of his passion For the Light past the grave. Inevitability The star-leaved sweet gum stands serenely proud Still in almost full autumnal dress, While its neighboring elm yearns for a shroud Of white with which to hide stark nakedness, Like one condemned, disdaining to decry An imminent fate it's truthless to deny. Kindness Each act of kindness to a neighbor is a mirror Which gives a glimpse of God, bringing heaven nearer. Inheritance The fine gold watch ticks away the hours With a zeal that cannot fill them. Some newsboy has lost a customer From his route. Exercise can stem From even hollow motivation. TV can pall, but the heart Shrivels in silence a breath can part, While down at the office the newcomer, Still quite conscious of his cum laude degree, Sits at an old desk and dreams old dreams Quite unmarred by age or ennui. Just Me! I'm not an esoteric poet. My meaning's as easily grasped As thought it were my outstretched hand Eager to be clasped. I don't seek a pretentious word If simpler one will do; Use contrived sentence, obscure phrase Appealing to a few. I don't omit my capitals Or punctuation. Mod Poets would claim that they soar While I merely plod. I don't seek fame, just like to write For other folks like me,— To share my tears and laughter, As others share with me. Knowledge All last winter we know there were the anxious, The forgotten, the poor, and the very ill; All last winter we knew it, we still Know, when the spinning earth is dotting Our corner with invigorating new life, With the keenness of spring's beauty a knife Trimming the ragged edges of our fatigue, Must we know it still? It is still so! It is, it would be sad if we didn't know. Laughter It's good to laugh! It's fun to laugh! If we'd cut our frowning time in half And dry the tears we love to spill By a communal effort of iron will. We'd brighten our small piece of map, For the tree of life must have its sap! Humor need not be too zany or sick, Just gentle and frequent, with a point that woun't prick. Laughter's a cup from which we quaff To cut our drugstore bill in half. Let's Laugh CHILD TO MOTHER: When she'd like to hear, he'll mumble or whisper; Be she disinterested, his tone will be crisper; And if she MUST know, he'll stammer and stutter, Until understandably, confusion is utter! Little By Little Love seldom dies a sudden And quite merciful death But lingers interminably, Pain paid for every breath. If it can't live forever on, Unscathed from the start, Myriad barbs are endured Before a broken heart. Let's Be Thankful Let's tank our God for He alone It is who makes our tables groan. For all vegetables, all fruits and grains He sent us needed sun and rains; Gave the strong men to work the soil, Spurred them in their eager toil. Now give us, Lord, the love for others To make us share with needed brothers. Marge Mother of courage, mother of joy, Mother of laughter with mischievous boy! Daughter and sister; wife, ever mother Neighbor and friend—attuned to another, With no light in sight and night endlessly long, She forgets a complaint to remember a song. When dawn finally appears, it's certain she'll say It has been a good night, it will be a good day. Nature's Melodies Oh, the music of the great outdoors, The surf that drums upon the shores, The snow that crunches beneath our feet, The rain with its rhythmical beat, The cardinal's song caught by the breeze That lingers around The trees to tease Them with his threats of violent fun, Nature's melodies and life are one! New Dimension Prudence, now ther's an old word that finding new dimension, Though some, under hot breath, prefer the term "pretension," And view new definition with rising apprehension. This, though a virtue pillar- like, supporting many another, Can spread out like an apron and fall so as to smother Fledgling courage, confidence, like a too protective mother. LOVE (A true story as told to me by Marge Flanigan) The old, old man worked hard as he could, Making many trips to fill his pail With clean water, and he would Murmur ceaselessly, but the one Who worked too, some distance away, Digging and planting beneath the hot sun, Heard but could not understand; And as she watched him cleaning the stone, She longed to offer him a hand. Still she knew this was something He must do alone, She thought— Perhaps he does it every spring. He left and she, gath'ring tools, left too, Paused at the grave where he had been. His wife's? His love, so old, so new, Was for a son, aged only four, Dead since nineteen twenty-three, Dead, but loved forevermore. Night Comes I cover the birds, and having no cat, Simply lock the door, and harbor hope that I'll rise from the sofa when it is quite Respectable to douse the light. If only you knew how much I dread Waking up so I can go to bed! On The New Year Feast of the Circumcision, birth of another year, Time to let optimism temper listlessness and fear. Man's fettered by imperfections, tortured by sloth and doubt, Yet who would deny his courage, forget that his heart is stout? It's a day for new resolutions and a year that can carry us on To find there is more to earthlings that what is frowned upon. Oh Alexander! Just one dime in a dime-sized slot Could bring life to a voice not forgot. Inside the booth, he shuts the door Then emerges as before, Coin still clenched, door gaping wide At such futile, foolish pride. Oh, Alexander, did you know You would torment poor lovers so? Where's the invention to make known To him that she waits by the telephone? Mom's Penance I serve a savory dish And hear my family clamor For their favorite fish, But when I serve seafood With the requirement past, For my rigidity I am quite harassed Mothers They come in every size and half-size And in assorted colors, too; Each of us does have or had one, I am one, perhaps so are you. True, to everyone's unselfish, Some may even be, well, bad, But this type is quite unusual And that's something to make us glad. Yes, I'm speaking of a mother, Or call her mom, it's all the same! For the joy is in her being And not altered by a name. So today remember mother With a gift, letter, or call, If you cannot pay a visit, And with prayer, prayer above all! So many now would downgrade mother, Make her role seem dull and small, But when motherhood's outdated, The would will be an empty ball. Memorial Day Though time may have dulled Pain's edge and it's true We wouldn't if we could Keep grief sharp as new; Yet we shouldn't be lulled To completely forget Those loved and gone For we love them yet. Completely annulled Would this day's meaning be Without prayer for those Brightening our memory! Menu Memos One likes cheese, Another ham, A third craves you Know what with jam! I think I'll heat Plenty of soup And tie thick bibs On my small troop. Some losses you Just can't recoup. Thanksgiving Petition We know it's Thanksgiving when the air is spicy-sweet, And relatives, though miles apart, find a way to meet; When children create turkeys from crayons and colored paper, And grouchy spirits disappear as though made of just vapor. Then it's time for all of us to fall upon our knees To give You thanks and ask You, God, to feed the hungry, please, Clothe the shivering, bring us peace, and let us be Your tools. Lord, make us generous wise-men instead of selfish fools! The End Of June Some educators say Nothing should be taught today As absolutely true. Perhaps there live some who rue That had not the wit To foresee the atom split Or guess about a race Between countries to conquer space. The future seldom lacks Power to alter present facts. So we do beseech, Professors, watch out what you teach Our young; but do not claim Nothing ever remains the same! Which of you denies Love is grand beneath June's skies, Was and is and will Be exactly the same until.... Thirteen Neither man or boy, Less his own friend than foe, And were he given a choice, He would choose but to grow. The shadow of lost childhood, Falls seldom on his mide, But my heart thinks that his heart Must some times glance behind. When manhood is attained, Much lose can be rewon. Boyhood's joys are reborn When a man begets a son. The Fourth Forever Motherland, allay our fears, Coax our laughter, dry our tears! Yet this is too much to ask. No mother can complete such task. Divisibility, violence, and strife May would you but not take your life. Your maternal nature knows you can Be many things to every man; And we in turn pledge loyally To embrace you with love's certainty. To My Mother Mother, you're far away today. My thoughts and prayers all go your way. Tender my memories of all you have done To earn the gratitude you have won From me. ON earth we cannot repay A mother's care by a gift or word, Yet to try is not absurd! For a mother is one who likes to know The love of a child will endlessly grow. May God bless you and give you the grace To preserve till you see His face. To The Newlyweds On Valentine's Day May the first Valentine's Day of your married life Remain as bright memory, husband and wife! May your love for each other ever increase As you share days and nights in joy and peace. Be happy, be gay, to each other be kind. And light be the fetters love uses to bind! To Yearn When love is all paid out And there is no return, Then one wants to shout, To beg, never to yarn. But to shout would be insane, To beg would cancel pride, And yearning is the pain That lives where hope has died. To Mary From Martha Warm in your compassion, Approachable in stainless beauty. Teach us in gentle fashion A mother's love and duty. Ask your son to bless us With the wisdom and joy We need to teach His love To a mischievous boy, To a winsome miss To a searching heart. Let busy Martha sometimes Pilfer Mary's part! Unbroken Heart Se wanted to feel her heart was broken, But that fact was controvertible; Now she's glad that much was left unspoken, For a sparkling new convertible Brings a new lad she deems more suitable. Some facts are really irrefutable! Veteran's Thoughts He has seen pallor's whiteness, the crimson of blood, The slimy brown of Vietnam's mud. He has watched death cradled in a mother's arms, Families routed from their homes in swarms. He has seen scorn on a protester's face, Remembers a layette, all ribbons and lace. How he's studied the moon God hangs at night, How he's followed a helicopter's flight! Now he'll nevermore see the soft candle glow Marking the birthdays that come and go, Nor a Christmas tree with a crèche beneath And his own front door hung with Yuletide wreath; But he'll know the love of a faithful mate, The kiss of a toddler who hasn't met hate, And he'll feel the questions and doubts and dark In the bright sunlight of a city park. To A Flatterer With so much sweet to say to my face, I fear you'll be bereft When my back is turned, really dear, Tell me what is left? To Dye Or Not To Dye His head already is unfringed, Let it not become unhinged By seeing your's, my dear, impinged With rays of light which show it tinged! To The Moon Sometimes you're there, Often you're gone, If I choose a star To wish upon I know too well The clouds are prone To hide it. I'll wait For a wishbone! Then Vows Were Said On Saturdays he longed to dance And strove to look his best. Now that's the day that both his feet And razor get a rest! Women She paints fingernails and the nails of her toes, Shadows eyes, colors mouth, and powders her nose; Spot reduces so she can repad her form, Thus measuring up to a certain norm, Then pays a fabulous price for a gown So she'll resemble nobody else in town. To A Teenager You jive's often outside my ken, Your music doesn't send me, again, I envy not you short, short skirt, Or the Beetle type with whom you flirt. I'll take my man with specs and pipe So I must strive to be his type. Your ciffures sometimes find me dazzled, Yet, like mine, are often frazzled. But I'd trade my epidermis in For your smoothly glowing skin; And for a waist two hands can span I'd gladly give up Serutan; For I must own I hold much dearer Than mine the image in your mirror. It's been so long since I could pass Blithely by a looking glass! Modern Mother Hubbard What is order? The question's moot! Is it when you have to root Through piles of things not in your mind, Hoping you will finally find What is—such as books or guns, As so successfully do my sons? If this seems quite heterodox, Don't misjudge me. I do box Necessities and junk I prize, Far from wee meddlers' gimlet eyes, And stash the cartons in tidy rows Where I'll soon unfruitfully nose Around for something I'll not see (And of course, need instantly) Until I've made all my neat cupboards Resemble dear old Mother Hubbard's! On Christmas Christ came to bring a message, No joyless neurotic He— His message was of light Christ came to give a message, Sparkling in its hope; And we turned back unheeding, To the darkness where we grope. Ah, small Babe in a manger, As we kneel here at Your side, Teach us love and tolerance, Give peace that will abide. Mold our hearts, enlarge them So they'll have room for all, And let our souls be open To hear the Father's call. In The Spring Buds are popping crazily like corn in the warm Sun and misses are enrolling in schools of charm. Young blades feel two inches taller, the elderly less old Than last night. Sunny hearts melt, chill ones fight the cold. Even the schoolteacher's mien is not too stern, Though students are exhilarated and listless in turn. Matrons spruce their houses, affect chicquer coiffures, And dad's fancy unlightly turns to thoughts of fishing lures! Simon By Any Other Name No one bears his cross alone, Somewhere along the road There is a Simon of Cyrene To help lighten his load. It may be friend or neighbor, Relative or priest, But he'll be there when you need him most And anticipate him least. He woun't be gim or pompous. His name? We need not know! Though it probably won't be Simon, And we'll call him a "Good Joe." The Crown We are the thorns that pierced His head, Torturing Him till He was dead. Not willingly! We were but tools In the hands of men less knaves than fools. One drop of blood we helped to spill Would have sufficed! But not until For man's redemption He gave all Would He rest. Oh, mankind fall Upon your knees, offer a crown Of love and thanks. Take Him down From the cross. Repentance wins Forgiveness from Him for your sins. Yes, we are the thorns that pierced His head, But it was His heart that bled. Press upon this crown no more, Hurt not the God who you adore! The Cross When I was a flourishing sapling, Roots firm in the fertile earth, Coaxed by a mothering sunshine To increase in height and girth, Drinking and bathing in rainfall, Caressed by a sometimes breeze, I marveled at all of creation, Gave thanks I was one of God's treats. Then came the sharp, shiny blade, The raucous curses of men, And I fell to an earth that was hard, Not expecting to rise again. But soon I once more reached skyward, Branchless, leafless, but blest, For I held and beheld my Creator, While soldiers hid fear with a jest. Once a tree that was felled for a manger Observed Mary's sorrow-tinged joy As she saw the price of redemption In the eyes of a baby boy. So I could see Mary's face And the pain paid by only a mother, And I cried, "Why cannot men love God, And for His sake, love one another?" The Inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews—" I was nailed there above His head, And passersby pointed or questioned or jeered In the hours before He was dead. Then torn by the wind, for the storm was fierce, I still clung to the bark of the tree, And I heard a few say in wonder and fear, "It's no king but God's son we see!" Oh, I knew it was true, for what king would die With nothing but love in his heart Praying for those who rejected Him thus? This truly was One set apart! Still He is king, but not just of the Jews, Of every country and race, A King who has died extending His arms To the men who have spit on His face. Voices Of Easter, Ringing, Singing To the Editor: Over earth's weeping, war-ravaged lands, her littered and polluted beaches, over her flooded cities and farms, her torrid jungles and arctic reaches, the voices of Easter, the ringing, the singing, signal the life of embryonic hope! May the risen Christ illumine our way, lifting the darkness in which we grope, may all who have stood at the foot of the cross, counting the cost of betrayal and sin, gladly acknowledge despair is fruitless, and Easter holds all that we can win. A READER Gratitude We thank you, God, for all that we've been given, And for all we've been denied. You Alone know what we ask or that for which we've striven, Are not always what's best for us. It's true Sometimes we do complain, wanting our way Like selfish children, demanding and not quite Placing our trust in You. On knees of clay We thank You. Our only strength is in Your might! The Lance I am a lance, but a lance like no other; Inspiring fear, I had once maimed and killed; But now I have pierced a Sacred Heart And my warlike tendencies have been stilled. I am no longer a weapon of hate, Knowing for certain that love is stronger. Mercifully cleansed in the blood of God's Son, I will strike out in malice no longer. Had I tears like you, I would shed every one, And then I would sing out, shedding my sadness, "Alleluia, it's done, the world is redeemed, Man is sustained by Easter's gladness." Nails Yes, we are nails, and nails were meant To build, not to destroy, But we were used to help take the life Of the Lord of love and joy. Cruel was the pain we caused and yet That pain but proved He would Spare Himself no suffering To save all whom He could. Oh, gaze upon those wounded hands, Those wounded feet, and plead For the grace to know that You, Not we, have made them bleed! Meditation I climbed a hill to a garden, Saw Jesus on His knees; A few friends slept nearby Him Beneath the olive trees. His agony had started And even worse was near. His soul was pierced by sorrow, His body wracked with fear. He saw I, too, was suffering And reached out His hand. I confided in Him, I knew He'd understand. We knelt to pray together. My tears were shortly dried. Despair could never touch me With Him by my side! Then I turned to thank Him, But I found instead Of being in the garden I was beside my bed.
Fr. Geaney on marriage: confused' In answer to John E. Fitzgerals's letter in THE FORUM, July 13, I can only say I doubt if I am a super-Catholic as I have never been a super anything so good, but if there is such a thing, I would be proud to be one and to fight abortion along with my fellow "super-Catholics." Has the Supreme Court of our country legalized child abuse or starvation in any form? And could Mr. Fitzgerald tell me upon what knowledge he bases the statement, About the Greatest Commandment One of the things that has most exasperated me since Vatican II is the assumption, of younger people often, (I am middle-aged), and more particularly of journalists, social leaders, CCD teachers, and the like, that the second of the great commandments of our Lord, concerning love of neighbor, was previously unemphasized in religious education. Admittedly, I and many others have committed sins of omission in this regard over and over, and I'm sure such sins will be part of human nature as long as man exists on this earth; which is not to excuse them. But it is not through ignorance we sin. Rather it is through carelessness, sloth, greed, envy, jealousy, anxiety, and sefishness of every magnitude. Always were we aware we must love our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. How sad that many of us have not even learned to love ourselves! However admirable is the concern now so vocally present in the Church, I fail to see any action or actions that have succeeded in fulfilling God's mandate more beautifully or selflessly than many did in the past. We all know the great works of love performed by such as the Little Sisters of the Poor. There are countless others. I believe the greatest difference today lies in the fact that much charity and concern for others is based solely on humanism. I also feel that many have unabashedly put the second commandment before the first, which our Lord said is not only the first but the greatest. The second must be based upon the first. And to all those super-activists who are worried about how much time some individual or religious order my spend in prayer and meditation, remember Luke, 10, vs. 41-42: The Lord in reply said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." We must pray much daily to grow in love of God, for only then will we overcome in some measure the selfishness with which we deal with our neighbor. From OUR SUNDAY VISITOR, What Do You Think? column To My Mother Dreams come and go with the phases of the moon; Memories hold together the worn out soul; Dead loved ones reappear like mist; Touching fingers disappear in smoke. The hidden pain is heaviest of all— It only shows behind the wrinkles and behind the painful movements of an arthritic body; Yet the world beats on, and demands her to follow. The eastern sky laughs at the world every morning: It has nothing to do but laugh And she has naught to do but laugh along with it. Her strength lies entwined in pain and joy Her faith keeps her steady Her smile speaks like ages of hope to a suffering soul. City Man He's walked so many city streets Since last he trod a rural lane. Is that why his vision narrows Although heart denies all pain? Could wild flowers replace shop windows Even for a fragrant while, Would that visage of gray concrete Break into remembered smile? Would hurried pace become a saunter? Would the unpaved earth look wide As well as long, just as it did Before the country in him died? To A Remembered Tree One, a hundred, a thousand and more Times on her way to the corner store Bare feet caressed cool paving made So by your generous filigreed shade. In those days an affluent "penny ire," She always knew exactly where Her happiness lay, but sadly somehow, It's not a easily determined now. One, a hundred, a thousand and more Pennies can't buy it. As for the store, It's been replaced by a supermart Ten times its size, with but half its heart. Feet are imprisoned as style dictates And teeter, not skip, on heels that she hates; But wherever she goes, she meets with your cousins, Singly and by the tens of dozens. Then one, a hundred, a thousand and more Are memories of beauty en route to a store And she knows that though time can change many things, Hope won't die from an earth whence such loveliness springs. Sudden Death It was a day for making grape jam Or whitening lines in the sun; For visiting with grandmother Or simply for having fun In the park. It was not a day for parting; Parting is pain More easily endured on a day Whose beauty's diminished by rain. And the children were there! Though beloved, they could not share A grief that to only two lovers is known And must be borne by one alone. Hospital Antiseptic and paradoxical place! Life and death each keep up a frantic pace. The battle between new life and old ties Is endlessly waged behind pain filled eyes. The wail of newborn, moan of fatally ill, Break desired silence whenever they will. Scent of flowers and drugs, portentous, a threat That still holds a promise we dare not forget, While in the waiting room hope lives and dies, There one is laughing, another one cries. Unrest Temptation stalks the city streets Hoping to snare the bared it meets. The power to help, the heart to care Are valiant but infrequent pair. Dull eyes now long unwashed by tears Can still hide complex dreams and fears. The spur with which each soul is blest Retains an edge to cause unrest. Perhaps some will grasp release that lurks Before scarred bars, past fatuous smirks. Perhaps today a few will find The whetstone that can hone a mind! Consolation A schoolless day when one is seven Always smacks a bit of heaven, For even when it's darkly tearful, There is reason to be cheerful. One may stay inside and pout Instead of having to go out! Prematurity He couldn't have hurt her half so much Had she cared for him half so well; Yet laughter attended love's premature birth, Tears flowed at the funeral kell. Tired Feet Hope rising with sun, setting too soon; Optimist's mask, slipping by noon. Sheen on trousers outshining buffed shoes; Scanning "Help Wanted's" before morning news. Filling out forms endless in number, Creaky steps that tempt one to lumber. Employment offices dingy and dark, Splintered benches in scrubby park. Cheapest on menu, meetings with friends, Numerous leads and numerous dead ends; Wife's familiar inquiring face When mask is firmly back in place; Childrens' questions still to meet, Aching heart, tired feet, Tired feet! A Red Rose Means To a little girl, a gift she took To her mother, who treasured it pressed in a book; To an older miss,—exciting romance; To a horticulturist, renown, perchance; To a sut-in, a pledge that somebody cares; To a fashion-wise matron, bright beauty she wears! To an amateur gardener, maybe a prize In the annual show, because of its size; To a certain wife, no longer young, All the love songs that have ever been sung! From A Back Porch The dark spruce is only a rigid silhouette against the flowing grace of the willow, Which would touch the gray heavens were it not for the pillow Of fluffy dark storm clouds intervening. Other trees, poplar and sycamore, against the sky's breast are anxiously leaning. In contrast rise the man-made, unbending houses, radio tower. Down in the valley cower Tiny greenery, miniature rooftops With no azure backdrops. Neon signs are nervously blinking eyes of red and green As a beacon's long arm sweeps over the scene. On the horizon, billowing like a rosy cloak, Is a steel town's fiery smoke. Pittsburgh,—youngster of two and tow hundred years, Waits the ire of old Zeus with imminent tears! Dress Of A Decade's Dreams Wistful lassie I used to be, Be glad! Your dreams have become my reality A princely lad It is, I'll marry, Though not heir to a crown. Now tarry, Together we'll shop for that wedding gown. Uncle Sam And I When young I helped make his birthday The noisiest day of the year. How loudly I still hear those crackers Exploding in memory's ear! Now we celebrate more quietly, Enjoying the same communion. Uncle Sam has quite matured, And my state is the state of the Union. Sounds Of Spring Suddenly on the wing soar sounds sired by spring; Periodic patter of rain; constant chatter Of bonnets and baseball; a red-breasted bird's call; Wind's whistle of fun; whir of pinwheel it's spun; Small one's ooh's and ah's at each pansy pause; Swish of chamois on sash; mowers moaning en masse; Fingers fumbling tax forms as Sir Citizen storms; Schoolboys on skates; girls giggling with dates; Sighs that hyphenate good-byes sweethearts hate; Church choirs singing; Easter bells ringing! House Of Dreams It is just an ordinary house.... Without the sometimes elegance of antiquity or The labored practicality of modern decor; But it has a special aura about it for the man Who left for war a youth and never can Recall his childhood dreams, only rest where Nightmare years ago, he slept once free from care. Reductive Agent His comments are invariably pertinent, and numerous, Never verging on the ambiguous or half humorous, Self-termed "constructive" critic, we see him in his practiced art A master who assiduously avoids his counterpart. Under The Sun There never could be one so lovely as she Under the sun. Never one! The cupid of night gave lie to his sight But could not deceive Who would not believe. Then they chance met one noon of a hot day in June With sun hotly denying The moon had been lying. He was glad there could be one so lovely as she Under the sun, Only one! Heard When It's Hot Splash of swimmers in the sea; Clink of cubes in cold iced tea; Trite tales fishermen retell; Bat on ball, a youngster's yell, Sickening splintering of glass; Gardeners' growing grooming grass; Ice cream cart's inviting ring, Squeak of swing where several sing Rock and roll and roundelays; Finales of fireworks displays; Music of a merry-go-round; Sprinkler system's soothing sound; Motors murmuring by the million, Hot dogs hailed by the half-billion; Bumble bees banally buzzing; City-born with country cousin; Parades, proud patriots who pray For Uncle Sam on his birthday. The Odds That "one for the road" may not get you from here to eternity, but it certainly proves you don't mind taking chances. Surprise We do not really know ourselves! Recently, I attended a low Mass at our parish church and the celebrant (unknown to me) said the Mass in Latin, I later found out he was a bishop here to collect money for his missions, and evidently knew no English. I have been silent about my feelings in regard to the changes in the liturgy, but in my heart felt "cheated" out of something I had loved since childhood. Imagine my surprise in finding, after all this time, I prefer the new liturgy, English and all. Question He shuffles across the snow wet street Eyes darting left, right. At last The curb! Does he recall the feet Not only eager, incredibly fast? But then he haunted sylvan bypaths Most often, not inclined to hurry, Feeling fourlegged creatures only Harbored urgent need to scurry. Have white hairs and high powered motors Brought about a rather sorry Transformation, or does each hunter Have latent instinct of the quarry? The Search The search goes on and on and on In obscure cobwebbed corners; A joyful whoop momentarily stays Ofttimes the gibes of scorners. But what of truths that are ignored, Kicked aside, or trampled Because the quite accessible So often goes unsampled? Around In Autumn Pigskins that proud players pass, Cheerleaders who cavort with class; New cashmeres and corduroys On gay college girls and boys. Flaming foliage, the fine fall "mums," Sapphire sky that goes and comes. Dismal downpours, dreary drizzling; Skewered, slightly singed snacks sizzling. Pumpkin pies (with whipped cream) warm! Fowls fast fattening on the farm. Cranberries, tart and taste-teasing, Grapes, so purple, plump, and pleasing. Cherry-cheeked to appetize, Apples,—cider, sauce, more pies! Swarms of songbirds flying south; Platforms politicians mouth. Sometimes sun soothing as summer's; Mysterious masks on merry mummers. People with penchant for living Offering God prayerful thanksgiving! The Last Day Of School Kindly bowers line streets middle-aged in cool continuity. In the shade of one massive tree Stained hands Clip strands Of jagged ivy, satin myrtle, for rerooting; Retrieved a whistle a toddler's been tooting; Give heed To a vagrant weed. Freedom bound, winged children, small and not so small, Pause only briefly to call to a friend's mother Or compare grades with one another. A trowel gaily waves to welcome a homecomer. It is a good day, overflowing with summer. The Climber Having won the apex, looking down He viewed what seemed a miniature town, But fanciful nine dreaming toward ten Had some perspective even then. Now forty-odd and worldly wise, Success forms cataracts on his eyes. He can't distinguish large from small. Before the summit looms the fall! Status Quo Nourished by independence won, It pains me not at all to know How very total was my reliance On others a growing time ago. But like acrid smog clogging my nostrils, Smarting my too short-sighted eyes, Is the knowledge how very fragile— How very fragile is my prize! In Vietnam Middle-aged do not welcome years ahead, Still hope they are something they can attain; But the youth to whom age seems so distant As not to be, views without pain— No, does not view—the ageing's fear, Yet dread of death is very near. The dread of death is here! Haunted Motherless she lived, motherless she died, Still pooled behind now vacant eyes the tears she never cried. Though laughter's a blest memory, long ago one guessed She longed to know how she could put an unmet Ghost to rest. Drugstore Delivery He wears slight experience like a gaping cloak While gurgling opinions over a coke! Added years will become him much, I think, Though sallowness routs the vestige of pink From his cheeks; shoulders grown breadthwise And an humbler look in more farsighted eyes Will compensate. Then he'll be less sure Of what ails the world and of the cure. For now, let him enjoy what he thinks he knows. A sprout stamped too hard upon never grows. Appalachia Paintless ramshackle dwellings—pocks On the face of beauty each one mocks; Hearts not leaden but lacking wings, To which often dignity still clings; Day that starts with rooster's crow, Yet gives a man small chance to grow; Night sometimes pierced by scream, forlorn Dreams to swaddle a newborn. Intervals Brash young interns always tempt me to silly lies! After they're data-fed, are they computer wise? Will it be a girl at last and will the boys Forgive me? Soundproof labor rooms contain their noise But battlefields? Where is that nurse with her casual compassion? Sad...mama's name is now hopelessly out of fashion. Wonder if I'd wake to roses or that robe I admired. If I can think, out to pray... So tired... God... So tired. The Imperfect Often night brings forth a beauty that's more rare Than day offers; fruit of the crippled tree is sometimes best. Oh precious moment when tormented soul gives birth to prayer, Earning the grace that can insure its longed-for rest! On A Son's First Birthday Music of the innocent, Joyousness that's heaven-lent, Humor that one year can bring To find surprise in everything, Hang, trembling, for a pregnant while Upon an embryonic smile, Then fall, are caught by listening ears, A toddler laughs to greet his peers! May each added year, Lord, find His heart still warmer toward mankind For Your sweet sake. And may he be In love with You eternally. In The End If an effort to die to self For God each day is made, When the time for dying comes, Such living will be weighed! The Image Hers By Candlelight Ring of burnished yellow gold, Mined from earth, Very old. Used by others, just the same Thrilling, new! Her bridegroom's name. Must be borrowed— Stars for eyes. Gladly lent by midnight skies. Something blue? Lover's leaven Draws her aura down from heaven. When two have murmured Soft assent, The graces of a sacrament! My Prayer Scourge me till weak, Crown me with thorns; Let my heart shrivel As my mother mourns. Give me a cross And the fierce scorn of those Who pound the nails. Spare not death's throes. But strengthen me with Your love, Blunt the thorns with Your grace; Let my mother, through tears, See the Virgin's sad face. Hew broad steps in the cross So I can climb them to You. Let me pray that all others May ascend with me, too! You Can't Win When I sit in my home beautiful Looking very chic, Having been so dutiful, The audience which I seek, Doesn't come. But when my home And I, have lost our gloss, Who is it happens just to roam Our way? Why, hubby's boss! Thanksgiving I give big thanks for little things That live, and breathe, and grow, Like tremulous birdies trying wings, Dear God, I love them so. A gentle kitten, soft-eyed fawn, The tame and untamed, too, All the young who greet the dawn, Speak to me of You. These, of course, cannot compare With girls not three feet tall, Still naively unaware Of how their charms enthrall. But most thanks for each baby boy Who serves as tender cue For soul and heart's paean of joy, That You were once one, too! Compassion Is it because you've been denied A grief that you can show, And only in your heart have cried, That you're so want to know A wordless way of solacement To ease another's woe? God bless you for the comfort lent And His on you bestow. Perseverance I cried to be Simon and moaned at a splinter, Reached for the crown and shrank from a thorn, Yearned for the mails and at the first prick— One drop of blood—a coward was born! Then I was tempted by monstrous pride To give up trying, and turn aside; But I pondered my failures and gathered the dross, Stamped it in firmly at the foot of the cross To steady it, and spare Him pain, Who counts no diminutive effort as vain. What Is Mother Made Of? A mother is made of body and soul That once had a heart that somebody stole! Her life is a blend of cookie crumbs, Spilled milk, scraped knees, well-sucked thumbs; Of washing windows, scrubbing floors, Of dirty clothes, and slamming doors. The ingredients vary, as, for example, In the icing, which is ample: A baby's coos, a toddler's hugs, Loud "ah's" at the wonder of lightning bugs. But always the flavoring for all of this Is thieving daddy's loving kiss! Mother Of Sorrow The Holy Innocents are dead. More copious than the blood they shed Are tears that fall For tiny loves beyond recall. And there is one with infant living, Who, even while she breathes thanksgiving, Mourns for the others, Mother of Christ and Queen of Mothers! Weeps for the marrow, Full of torment, Mother of Sorrow! Ties That Bind They've severed the cord which made us one. My labor is over, I've borne a son! Don't cry so hard, wee one, We'll find a new tie To bind us together. You and I must fashion it wisely Of a love that will dare Loose that knot gradually, So it need never tear. A Martha's Meditations I did not choose the better part And now have little time to contemplate Your Sacred Heart. But when I kiss the tears from tiny faces, Worldly thoughts it soon erases. Your mother's cries Are echoed in my own maternal sighs. Wiping blood from childhood's wounds oft takes me to the garden To ask Your pardon Because its sight Reminds me of the blood You shed on Holy Thursday night. Mother To A "T" Troubled, treasured, trusted, tired, Teased, tempted, tearful, too, Tormented, tolerant, toil-worn, tot-tied, This tactile tongue-twister Tenders tripping tribute true. Come A baby's love calls to a manger Everyone who is in danger Of weariness, of bleak despair. Answer! Come from everywhere. Kneel, adore, give thanks to find The hope that nourishes mankind. The Prize Who has held a baby close, Cheek to cheek where beard Will someday grow and recognized What is to be feared? Who has seen a baby boy Tall and khaki-dressed, In shoes with spit and polish shine And trousers sharply pressed. Seen pride nascent in his eyes, Alloyed still by sorrow, Knowing childhood's yesterday, Uncertainty's tomorrow? Who has borne a baby boy And wished the world were wise, So when his manhood was attained, PEACE would be his prize. To The Mother Of All Christ gave us His life, His flesh and blood, And, hanging on the cross, Gave us a legacy of love. All earthly goods are dross Compared to these. Oh, mother, please Teach us how to lift Our souls in prayerful gratitude For every unearned gift! When the sky is poem-coaxingly azure and white And the sun a burnished accent, unfolding In our hearts the buds of light That show ourselves the love we're holding For you, your power to opalescent Must be something for jealous safekeeping, So no grayness of clime can repossess Our sprits from their joyous leaping. Vulnerable The ice-sheathed branches shiver in the raw wind And emit faint sound almost like a dirge. Nature has finally completed the purge Of Autumn color from the earth, Yet this is not beauty's death but rebirth In somber blend of brown and gray And glistening, transparent overlay. Breathless we face the freezing rain, Stinging our faces with needles of pain, As vulnerable as a butterfly pinned Because once Adam sinned, Adam sinned! Crown For A King Was there a creeper outside the door And were the flowers blood red it bore? Every time she smelled a bloom Did Mary sense impending doom? Yet a rose is special in spite of a thorn There before the bud is born, And a crown is meant for only a King Though woven of thorns and designed to sting! Joy Pleasure's usually a bauble that's hollow, Joy is solid gold; The first is something we like to follow, The second we long to hold. The Debtor The burden seemed quite hard to bear, The ass had come so far! He did not know his journey's end Would beckon to a star. But when the star was hung in place, Angels and shepherds met, This specially picked of God's dumb beasts Brayed loudly of his debt. I Know A Priest I know a priest who clothes each man, Ignoring age or wit, In garment of sheer dignity, Knowing it will fit. I know a priest whose smile is quick, With empathy God-lent, Who tempers pity with restraint, Compassion heaven-sent! He makes each prayer and homily Into a paean of praise Of his Creator; knows a song's Another way man prays. A priest is truly one of us, Yet truly set apart, A paradox who saves a soul While he steals a heart. Love Poem I yearn to write a love poem to God, But the words I know are too small. I long to write a love poem to God Using letters universe-tall. I'd have them to be as eye-dazzling as The 'quatorial sun, As love provoking as a full moon, As exciting as life newly won. Can letters be as clear as stream Still hidden from man's eye and use, As majestic outlined against the sky As a grove of our Northern spruce? I want them myriad as galaxies, To broadcast afar as thunder, Teeming with life like the oceans of earth, Wise as a boy's wonder. With letters virgin as arctic snow, As green with hope as spring's grass. I could write a love poem to God, Catching God in a looking glass! Three Arrows Death is not a drifting to sleep But a great awakening. Christians keep This ever in mind and hold no brief For futile dread, despairing grief. Faith, hope, and love point out the way As we grope through earth's night toward heaven's day. Thought For November The Poor Souls cannot beg for prayers But we all know the need that's theirs. We couldn't say no if we heard them plead, Can we deny unspoken need? Love On Earth Holy Infant, You who live Because of infinite love, please give Us grace to ever humbly lift Our hearts in thanks for such a gift, And let our lives be proof, we pray, That Christmas is not for a day, Nor for a season, it's the reason Time and time's end need hold no fear, Love is eternal, Love is here! Thanksgiving Let's really count our blessings! We'll surely be surprised How much greater in number Are they than we'd surmised. Then through our hearts and souls Will gratitude come surging, And to give our thanks We'll need no special urging. Riches Stored Petite gray lady, do you smile and shrug, Cathering closer the bright warming thoughts that you hug When pitying glances sidle your way, So wasted on spirit, immutably gay? What is time to one eternity bound, Or that beauty which 'neath its heels is ground! There's a subtler sort by age but embossed, And the years that embellished it have not been lost. Leisure A dollop of pure nonsense Is a healthful thing With which to flavor leisure, But guard well the spring From which you quaff refreshment To spark a better day. Stop to measure and to weigh! Emergency In our spiritual fortresses are so ramshackle Every breath of temptation finds a chink, It is time we make plans to immediately tackle Repairs. An emergency, don't you think? Serenity Long your cool hand I've yearned to clasp, Yet always you elude my grasp. I know it surely is God's will We two be joined, yet I still So often suffer patience's loss, My flaw that hews another's cross; But to the end I shall pursue Calm, elusive, lovely you. The Subtle Snub You wouldn't hit someone with a club Though velvet-covered; thus a snub Be it ever so subtle, is meant to hurt As much or more than one that's curt! Discouragement Discouragement is a devilish tool! Satan uses it for prying Us away from the task at hand, How he hates to see us trying! Don't let him make you play the fool. You'll never find him lurking In the shadow of a man Who's praying while he's working When When is a failure a success? When he yearns for victory, nevertheless, Finding the price of it is sin, Cheerfully chooses not to win. Contentment Contentment belongs not to any class, It is never awarded to the mass But must be individually won. Though all long to bask in its sun, Neither health nor wealth nor talent ensures That this welcome prize be your's But a good conscience helps you win What cannot coexist with sin. Will Power Will power's just a tiny scoop, And boasts no long convenient handle. You have to bend or kneel or stoop. But as you pierce dark with a candle, So with it can you dig through earth To the land of your rebirth! A Smile E'en a Jack-O-Lantern wears a grin; We delight at its face lit from within Though we know it's hollow all the while. Then we who belong to the Creator's select Group who have Christian joy to reflect Must learn the value of a smile. On December the Eighth No snow has yet come this way. The ground lies brown and sooty, But the day Finds beauty Hovering over the earth Like a halo marking the place Of the conception and birth Of Mary, full of grace! Our sins cannot obscure The loveliness lent this orb By her soul, immaculately pure, By her love, our's to absorb. New Year We're here at the start of another year, We may not be here when it ends, But that is no reason to harbor fear, Just use well each grace that God sends, Then whenever you are at sixty-four's expiration You'll have a valid reason for celebration! Advent Don't be caught in a last minute flurry Of pre-Christmas activity. Hurry, hurry, Start today to prepare your soul, Let love and contrition make it whole, For soon an Infant will come to bless Those who wait in readiness. Pentecost Holy Spirit, give us the light To know our hearts and souls aright. Illuminate our way to love So we may know You, gentle Dove. Lift darkness once conceived in sin And show the truth that we can win. Of Babies and Roses and Like Exquisite Things In Whose Presence Prose Flounders and Poetry Sings I gave them food and water, Tended them so carefully, Now loveliness explodes, And eyes that really see Tell men no Creator Joyless and grim Would raise up such prophets To speak His love for Him, Would share joy of creation With His creatures be It in peopling a nation Or planting rose and tree. Housewife's Meditation Down on our knees, scrubbing the floor, Give us a thought for One we adore; Down on our knees to help lace a shoe, Accept this obeisance, Lord, to You. Down on our knees, weeding a lawn, The moments come quickly, as quickly are gone, Adding up to a lifetime sooner or later, A total we offer to You, our Creator. We're not often called to fill earth's high places, But the height of fulfillment is reached through Your graces! Of Love We know so little, God, of love, Though You died to teach all. As we aspire to the heights, We fall—and fall—and fall! We know so little, God of Love, Have patience with us still; Let our hearts be pierced as Mary's was Upon a cross crowned hill. We know so little, Lord. Of love There is so much to know! Into our newly opened hearts, Let living knowledge flow. Cause for Meditation An infant seems too lovely for aught but paradise, Each one God's gift to all, and if I'am wise, Everytime I delight such beauty to see, I'll think of the Infant who left heaven for me! The Light That Blinds If you select your own defections And try to correct such imperfections, You're likely then to find your mind Puts others' faults behind a blind. To John-John On Father's Day You'll grown to know your daddy, John-John, In a hundred different ways, From the stories mother tells you Of past unforgotten days; From the memories grandma smiles on, Letters, books, now treasures all, From snapshots and moving pictures, And as you learn, age, and grow tall. In the God he loved Who loves him, The One you love Who loves you, too, You'll see reflection of the manhood That he has bequeathed to you. Looking Ahead? Looking ahead? We all acknowledge Cents usually enter the banks before sons enter college, But the ship of learning must be launched right now With an infant's parents at the prow. Don't depend upon a college degree To chart a course to eternity. Love One summer can't fulfill the promise of a hundred springs, But one love serves that purpose for uncounted dreams. Love is all encompassing and it readily flings Away the limitations that restrict its schemes. Love truly recognizes age and race, and creed, Opening arms to all. Love recognizes need! One More Saint? One contest you must enter—win! One adversary conquer,—sin! One judge, and wholly just He'll be, One crown, your's for eternity! What Is Daddy Made Of? He is made of body and soul like mother, With a heart that's been whisked away by another. His life is a mixture of work and hurry, Usually sprinkled with some worry, Which he filters out with prayer When aware that it is there. And, of course, the same sweet glaze Topping her's, frosts all his days! As surely as he gives her life flavor, It's she who makes his one to savor. Be Big Even the biggest man looks small When eaten by envy. After all, If we keep in mind our final goal, The saving of each immortal soul And make best use of all we're given, We shall not let ourselves be driven To begrudge anything that belongs to another, Let's be glad when good fortune comes to a brother! Pursuit Perfection's an elusive thing That's never in the hand, But those who keep pursing it Soon hold the promised land! All Together Now Faith should sing; hope should shout, And love above all else ring out; For faith must spread, hope's to be shared, And love is restless undeclared. Offering For brawn and brain with which to work, We thank You every day; And for each opportunity Lord, that You send our way, Humbly offering them to You, An act of love each breath, Until our hands can do no more And heart is stilled in death. New Mother So suddenly I've grown much older, With downy head light on my shoulder! He knows not yet what know I must; I've still to earn such loving trust, Not by physical care alone But by making to him known God's love for each and every soul So heaven will be his reached-for goal. Buried A little boy had a dream, Heedlessly he tossed it To one side, until, too late, He found that he had lost it. A little boy had a dream And spared no time for trying To fulfill it, now we pity One who's searching, sighing. A little boy had a dream, Not realizing its worth, He let a shiny winged thing Plunge into the earth! The Prejudiced How strong needs be the back Of one whose skin is black! From some imagined height In ignorance's night Some boldly insult, worse, Even dare to curse Such a brother. When Judgment day comes, then Will they be toppled down Before a just Lord's frown, Or will wisdom's light First lead them aright? Will they see prejudice For a Judus' kiss? Hurry Let's quickly spread over the earth a blanket Of faith, hope, love, and cheer, To smother the tiniest ember of doubt, Despair, hatred, and fear. Evil can spread like wildfire; Good is contagious, too, Among the souls to be saved are our own. Let's not dally with so much to do. Gardening There is he who takes bitter pills, offering them up And finds sweetness left on his tongue; And she who substitute prayers for complaints, And I broadcasting among These others my woes, but each time we meet Again, the hope is reborn That I, too, may learn on some happy day To raise a rose from a thorn! Divine Prescription The nurse who gives a generous ration To each of her patients, of her compassion, With the treatment prescribed, not only fulfills The doctors' orders but does as God wills. Eternal Youth I find it hard to feel middle aged in spring. Such a glow of youth these days always bring To earth! I'm surely rejuvenated, too? Yet my mirror's unable to change its view. Could those honest eyes keep from meeting mine, Much less tactful are sons aged eight and nine. I had best maintain the dignity expected. Rest well, dear ghost, so nearly resurrected! Yet let my faith and love be childlike still As in the Father's hands I place my will. Genuflection She bears her arthritic joints in silent resignation, Though graphically pain speaks upon her face, And they bear her with effort, yet jubilation, With dignity and a special sort of grace. Though knee can't meet with floor... Desire to adore... Is evident the more! Her obeisance shows that love would span the space. Garden for Eternity "They grow like weeds," we tritely say. How sad some literally grow that way,— Neglected, unloved. Let's do all in our power To tend each one as a unique flower Whose seed has been planted in fertile sod To grow in love till plucked by God. Sloth Are you entertaining sloth? Do you want Satan as a guest? If you have one, you may have both, So why not rout the first with zest? Meekness Bear a grudge against any man? Study well Christ's meedkness, then you can Rid yourself of soul scorching resentment And luxuriate in newly found contentment. On the Way Up Fell you've gone higher than some you know? Don't look down on those below But stretch out a friendly hand and smile So they can catch up in a little while And keep your eyes on those above, Ascending toward the God you love. The Militant Fight in the army of the Lord; Let His grace become your sward As you fight the right way toward Heaven's not too distant borders. The commandments are your orders. Be grateful for God-given warders To guard for a lifetime a militant soul, Keeping it spotlessly white and whole Till the moment you reach your goal! Hold out to your comrades a helping hand And take one. Don't put off joining the band That intrepidly seeks the promised land. One Success, One Failure When you're faced with a seemingly insurmountable mountain of work, Often the devil will tempt you to shirk; Just ignore him, get busy, soon you'll be over the top, To find only Satan had to stop! A Dose of Pity When we seek or give sympathy we must try to be wise. A little can give solace and revitalize, An overdose can completely paralyze. To prescribe for ourselves is asking for trouble. In the end our misery will be double, For self-pity with all its insidious allure Cannot boast of a single cure. Advent Christmas is drawing very near. For each of those whom we hold dear We work to plan a small surprise. Let us not forget the reason For the joys of this season. Like shepherds humble, Magi, wise, Let us proffer prayers and gifts With a spirit that truly lifts Our souls beyond earth's ties. The Thaw St. Peter, your heart was heavy with grief but not despair. You knew where to turn when the cock crew thrice. Fear fled in the sunlight of His mercy and it was there Hot scalding tears were formed from beads of ice. On Good Friday Take my heart, break it in two, For it was I, Lord, betrayed You. Cause my tears to sting and flow, When You were scourged You felt my blow. I wove a sharp and ugly thorn Into a crown painfully worn. Slight the pain frailty endures, I beg forbearance, Lord, through Your's, Yet what my weakness can sustain, Take to alleviate Your pain. Thanksgiving On Ash Wednesday Like sin's blight Marring soul's baptismal white Is smudge of ash on once pure brow. Gratefully we ponder how Penance can cleanse the soul And a body rise again, beautifully whole, From the grave to stand Joyfully at the Lord's right hand Through cooperation with the help He gives. He dies in God's grace who in His grace lives! Winter's End Who questions winter's end is sad? How very few mourn at his wake! No fewer hours than fall he had, How many less friends did he make. There has always been a dearth Of color and warmth; he seemed so old From first appearance on this earth, Yet at the end not quite so cold. Didn't the brave forsythia blaze And tiny crocuses appear To embroider his last days With a semblance of real cheer? Or did they speak to him of death, To warn that, luster as he would, He could not stay spring's fragrant breath, And Mother Earth wouldn't if she could. Autumn Autumn's a season befitting its fame! Autumn's a royal purple and flame, Russet, gourd green, orange, and yellow Day that belongs to the happily mellow. Landscape gazing and poetry time, Conductive to pondering the sublime, It has a grandeur that subtly nourishes The introspection that always flourishes In the calm between too hot and too cold When we're able to feel both patient and bold. Prayer How often I fall while carrying my cross! I fail You, Lord, but it's my loss. My deficiencies cover with Your grace, Pick me up, dust me off, my cross replace. By discouragement I must not be overcome when A fervent prayer can spur me on again. Easter Hope, whisper spring breezes, the message of God, Hope breathes the sun as it greens the dewed sod. Hope's in early matins the birds trill today, Hope's in the gay surf's reiterative lay. Hope that once in a stable was born Echoes, reechoes, on this glorious morn. Point of View Our lack of meekness we call backbone, Self respect, our pride! We look at selves and we alone See just the better side. HIS lack of meekness? Anger, surely! HIS pride is arrogance. We view another less obscurely Than the self we would enhance. Look Up A heart should be like a hope chest Filled to overflowing With the gifts that God and man Are generous in bestowing Upon a soul that knows that love Can rise above frustrations And only disappointment springs From buried expectations. Including My Own "If I had the wings of an angel, Over these prison walls I would fly..." So go the words of an old song, I remember them, smile, and then sigh, For an angel has no need of flying, But if I had the wings of a bird I could soar above earth's mad distractions To where echoes perish unheard, There to drown in a deep pool of silence Mouthy nothings revealed as absurd. "Thanks" Generously earned, sincerely given, Ties are strengthened that could be riven By its absence. By love be spurred To keep in readiness, this word. Dawn E xult in revivified hope, A spire to astounding height! S ee the darkness in which you grope T ransformed by a sudden light, E ncoumpassing all in its scope, R eaching out to the ends of the night. The Blues Sometimes we're so engrossed in blues We forget that there are other hues That we can learn to love and use. Rose-colored glasses are becoming, Other tunes are worth the strumming, No guitar? Then let's be humming! When we are not at our best, Plagued by weariness, unrest, Let's find the key to renewed zest. A whispered prayer, a little work, Firm will denying right to shirk, Can rout the blues and make us perk. Thanksgiving Thank you, God, for loving me As I am, though you know all I ought to be. Thanks for men who do the same Adding glory to Your Name. Thanks for desire to become A brighter star of Christendom. Thanks for the pardon I can win When my light is dimmed by sin. The Lord Is No Stranger Wood of the manger, wood of the cross, You support sleeping Babe, expiring King, Now gone is despair over Eden's dire loss, Death lives on but without its sting. Wood of the cross, wood of the manger, Does the devil curse? We hear angels sing. The Lord's in our midst, the Lord in no stranger, You hold the glad hope to which men's souls cling. Peace Of Christmas Mother and Child are peacefully sleeping, Joseph his hushed watch reverently keeping, Is it a cock crows? The shepherds are prostrate on the hard ground Adoring the Infant but making no sound. Do we hear hammer's blows? Comes realization that in a trial Love will conquer betrayal, denial. Blessed silence grows! Indecision He who sits too long astride A fence must know he cannot hide And, wearying, may eventually fall, Losing the chance to choose at all. Who knows then where at last he'll find Bruised body and befuddled mind? January 1, 1965 This is the day to make a fresh start, The day a courageous soul and heart Should take a firm stand against past sins And pray for the will that rules and wins. Renewal Grapes and wheat, Wine and bread, Blood and flesh... We press and thress, The words are said, We drink and eat. Souls are replete, Hunger has fled, Love thrives afresh! You And I If we don't see beyond a capital "I", We certainly need not wonder why Others with interests widely soaring Leave us bored on finding us boring. A Blithe Spirit A blithe spirit shines the noonday sun And hangs the moon when day is done. It treasures grass and trees and flowers And, yes, snow squalls and thunder showers. It can bear a heavy cross, Turning to profit any loss. A blithe spirit knows the secrets of Earthly existence, heavenly love. Beloved St. John You leaned your head upon His breast! For centuries men have known true rest Just in recalling this. You staunchly stayed there at the cross, Bridging for us the deep dark fosse Dug by Judas' kiss. You became a Mother's son, And, mankind being with you one, Forever shares your bliss. St. Joseph Not with doddering half spent strength Do I see Mary's spouse, But stalwart, gay, and vigorous— A lion, not a mouse. Young and warm and staunchly pure Was he, Christ's foster father, To whom a task couldn't loom so big As to give rise to pother. A man to love and be loved by, God's choice for solemn trust, Who hewed his fate with soul upraised And feet in the sawdust. Saint Maria Goretti Though I've had much time to learn His goodness, do I hesitate still To climb the road to Calvary's summit And trust completely in His will? But Maria, though still child, In her love wholly mature, Gave herself, body and soul, In decision, swift and sure. On Holy Thursday With You in the Garden I've grieved for my sins And asked for the pardon A penitent wins. Now Banquet Divine, Food of my soul, Make me all Thine, Love make me whole! Back From The Verge Of Despair Walless chasm— Bottomless sea, World full of people With but a ME! Eyes sighted but blind To all that's worth seeing; Spirit struggling For joy in being. Sphere of hopelessness Pierced by a thorn From a crown of thorns Regally worn. Aspiration See with how little effort And how little time An ordinary moment's turned Into one sublime! P ersevering prayer E arnest endeavor A rdent apostleship C onstant care E verywhere, ever! Inspiration The gay flowers, the majestic trees Are gifts of Good. He gave us these— The lakes and rivers, so much more, So, loving them, our thoughts would soar Until they rest in Him to stay Through beauty-filled long summer day. Talent Better small talent honed by constant use Than a great one suffering the abuse, The rust, that comes from long disuse. Disinter a gift—bury an excuse! The Common Clay He laughed a lot, Sang a little, Would stumble through a jig; Loved not a little, Grew, and soon The burdens that loomed big In proportion To his size Gradually seemed to shrink. Now the halo That he deemed Much too large, I think, In that eternity He's reached Falls gracefully in place Upon a brow That broadened, being Molded by His grace. Caution Needed If that pearl of wisdom often proves a fake, It may be that we're too prone to take Such gems from one as unqualified As we to know the bona fide. Benediction The candles have been snuffed but the incense lingers, The Host lately raised by anointed fingers Is hidden away. The organ has softly expelled its last strains, Services ended, the blessing remains, Not to die with the day. The faithful have gone, except for a few, Each prolonging the fervent adieu He finally must say. Hearts mortal hold emotions supernal And this moment seems less clocked that eternal. Overflow The heart that emptiness can fill Finds that it has nothing still. The heart whose love is self-contained May lose all that it has gained. But when fulfillment overflows, It seeds itself, and grows—and grows. Rosary Victorious Each bead a prayer, Each prayer a step To Mary and her divine Son; Each decade a mystery, Each mystery, meditation, How many the graces so won! A Kiss Madonna, your fine porcelain image is spiderwebbed with glue Hands loving but clumsy did this but you Know he wished only to bestow a kiss. So often you must have smoothed hair in place, Rearranged your gown with smiling face Because someone small as he wanted this— To give heartwarmed and heartwarming kiss! Light, Love, Light Light, Love, light, Let your perch be on the shoulder Of one who with the years grows colder. Give spirit youth, his heart your fire, Lend to his leaden thoughts your wings, Your poetry to tongue till it sings! Fan the flame of divine desire Around tepidity's funeral pyre. Man I know what I am but not all Of the meaning of "I" before Adam's fall, But only the I I can become Can fulfill the glory of Christendom. February 14 Plan to send a pleasant greeting to another? What a thoughtful way To use a few minutes, this day or any other. As you go your way Take note of those who're lonely, old, or sick, And let them often be the ones you pick. If even one whispers a prayer For you, two profit because you care! Mary All earth's beauty can't equal that of her face, Nor all of its richness the wealth of her grace; The whole world's too small as a dais for her throne, Among men and angels she stands alone,— Flawless creation of a Father's love, Mother of the Son, spouse of the Dove. Trust In God Is your cross dragging? Pause to meditate and pray, Then the strength you thought was flagging Will help you bear it all the way. If your route seems long And visibility is zero, (God's judgment, of course, cannot be wrong), You've the makings of a hero! Time To Think Maybe another, certainly no mother Of wavering four year old, has to be told That what seems one instant a firm decision, He deems needy, the next of "first" revision! But we who are four times four, or more, Should think not after we speak but before; Yet if we haven't, then it's a fact We'd better at least think before we act. Space Flight Have you ever wished on the first star? If you have, you know you are Wasting time. Let a prayer Be what you whisper as you stare. Newborn, it will outdistance light. Hope sanctified in immortal flight! To The Golden Heart Golden Heart of the Virgin Mary, Blind not eyes like mine, I pray, Used to looking downward, inward, At our own, made but of clay, And cast not in mold of perfection As was yours. But rather may Your radiance be the needed leaven To raise our earth-bound thoughts to heaven; Your glow enhance each tiny spark Which still is flickering in the dark Of lukewarm hearts, which then will be Afire with love for all to see. Your's For The Asking Long to explore the other side of every hill You pass? Beyond your reach? Even if you could, of course, you know you'd still On the far side of each, Find nothing better than the answer to a prayer Which is your's for the asking anywhere. To Those Gone Before (On Memorial Day) Once we felt that we could be no vital part Of an earth which would no longer nourish you; That we should never eat its bread again Without the pain Not sharing it with you would woo. We feared no longer could the sun dispel the chill From hands benumbed by futile efforts to thwart Relentless death; nor could rain slake the thirst Of lips which first In acquiescent prayer must part. But quickly passing was temptation to despair. We who still traverse this mortal earth Must but be grateful for the love we find And ever mind We, too, are destined for rebirth. Reflection Occasionally let's sift Our traits we feel are thrift Or generosity, So that we can be Sure they're as reputed And have not been polluted By undue love of pence Or lack of common sense! Moderation Use moderation. You'll find you savor Even more the things you favor. You'll surely save time and money, too, And perhaps a soul that belongs to you. Prayer On April 1 As warm As the sun on the back of a chirping chick on the farm Is the smile young Eddie turns on me, bright and quick, Even while he is choosing me as the butt of his trick, All Fool's Day wilel It cannot even prick His tender conscience, which I pray Will never be stabbed to quick on some future day By that guile which makes souls sick. May What was her month like before Mary's birth? Did sun's gold overflow and splash the earth As now, and did rain wash it clean, While brown branches completed conversion to green? Were flowers gay bearers of color and scent, Though hopeless of having such attributes lent To adorn her altar? Of course it was thus, For when God made such a beauteous May, He knew who would reign as its Queen one day! Love At First Communion (May, 1963) Everywhere spirea, snow-in-May, White violets, tulips, it's a day For falling in love, fragrant and gay! Girls in dresses fairy fine, Boys whose faces fairly shine, (And with them, one dear one mine) Await Your first coming. I pray, Entering Joe's pure soul today, Lord, steal his little heart away. Profit And Loss If someone should wound me With utter disdain, He's made me a gift— He's given me pain To offer to Christ At the foot of the cross, And heavenly profit Exceeds earthly loss. Paradox When you give much love, more can be stored, When you give little, none's left to hoard! Visit Gethsemane Feel alone by yourself or in a crowd? Be glad, for the feeling's a God-given shroud That shuts you off from the world for a space Of time while recalling Christ's bloodstained face. Curiosity Curiosity is a useful trait, But often indulgence must be refused. Let prudence be its constant mate, Then it will never be misused. Communion Now is a moment of eternal meaning Divinely wrought for frailty's leaning When Life is given to the living And offered up as It's own thanksgiving. Have Mercy On Us There's no panacea for our ills But there's one for those accompanying chills Of worry, uncertainty, and fear, In remembering our merciful Lord is near. On Memorial Day United in the Mystical Body of Christ, we know Remembrance waits no special day. We grow Ever closer, beloved, with mutual prayers. Our way Is shortened as day followed God-given day And the time will come when we'll joyfully meet, Brothers, at a Brother's nail pierced feet. Thank You, God Would I could a great bard be, For the should of one writhes chained in me And I, alas, do not have wit Sufficiently to unshackle it. Mind unfacile must restrain Too eager hand so it refrain From penning prosily what, I think, Calls for Euterpe's golden ink! Yet even when most beauty drenched, Thirst for expression can be quenched If my ungifted head but nod, While I breathe simply, "Thank you, God." Easter This is the day that the Lord hath made, For Peter who fled, for John who stayed; For us sinners, for the sinless one, The day when the early morning sun Has made, for nearly two thousand years, A rainbow of hope, meeting Good Friday's tears! My Secret I have no taste for late night hours, Competitive sports, or tingling showers. They say I'm aging, but my pleasure now Is knowing I didn't like them anyhow! Happy Prom Was your prom night a time to have fun with your crowd? Did you come home happy and soul still proud In time to sandwich some sleep with prayer And thank God because He, too, was there? Easter Communion Christ has risen! This day hope swells All the souls Wherein Life dwells. Near Twilight I discovered gold today! In an eager half-born sun The uplifted heart of a nun, In an elevated chalice; In a youngster's warming ways, His wilting dandelion bouquets Transforming kitchen into palace; In yellow rose against my hand, A backyard or wonderland Where suddenly I am Alice? Soon now darkness will enfold— Steal—my day shot through with gold, But gently, gently, without malice. Looking For Something Searching for even a modicum Of understanding? Why not seize The superabundance your's for the asking While you're down on bended knees? Then, rich with all God will bestow, You can give some to all you know. At The Foot Of The Cross High on His cross of love, Christ prayed for those below Who stared with hate at a God They did not choose to know. Are we of an ignorant breed? Or is cowardice our bane? Let's know and acknowledge our Lord Through embracing our crosses of pain. High In Hope Will our cups of joy, With our cups of sorrow, Give recollection There will be a morrow! Though when it comes We may have passed From this calendared earth To be judged at last. Toward presumption, despair, Then, let's not be leaning But erect as the cross Which bears timeless meaning. Come Come, Holy Spirit, come Wisdom, come Love, To dwell in our hearts and transport them above The things of this earth. We pray You, erase All stain of sin from souls filled with Your grace. Fear Not Wee babies usually twine their fingers Round one of another's, whoever lingers Near. But hear! In Bethlehem an Infant's hand is curled Around the fate of the whole world He holds so dear, To banish fear. Easter Bells Rejoice with the bells as they dance and ring, Echoing the chorus that men's hearts sing Because of a miracle wrought to bring Life where death had lately reigned, Life eternal, blessed, unfeigned! Faith, hope, love, increased, sustained, Fill the skies with glorious sound. Ring, bells, while men's thanks profound Hallow the awakening ground. A Smile Goodness doesn't put on a frown Or a long nose that it looks down At those who know it's quite worthwhile To keep in readiness a smile, Not gallant, brave, and not forbearing, But one that's meant for daily wearing, A very necessary leaven To lift men's hearts nearer to heaven. On The First Sunday Of Lent There are self-improvement courses Lasting six or eight weeks To bring the added poise and charm That someone hopefully seeks. And there's forty special days Each year for every living soul To use for needed improvement. Let's try for that goal! Charity Charity is the dregless cup From which you let your neighbors sup Compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, too, Demanding no return, yet you Will always find that you are first To feel you've really quenched your thirst. Two Right Sides There's no wrong side to any bed On mornings when your prayers are said; And the same is true at night, When either side can be the right. Ten Signposts If you must seek the world's applause, Proceed in harmony with God's laws Lest Satan, too, clap hands in glee At the birth of a new celebrity. Homesickness It's a cross, and yet a blessing, too, For it draws me closer, Lord, to You— Knowing my real nostalgia stems From a longing to be within heaven's hems! Fortissimo Small music of a mandolin Our unwed fondness seems to me Since vows were said which made two one, And God's grace swelled love's melody. Now I have been enraptured by My new-born son's first earthly cry, Third movement of a symphony! One Woman To Another There are vitamin pills and hormone creams And an endless lot of lotions, it seems, Designed to keep hidden the fact one is aging; But it's really a losing fight we're waging. Perhaps it's as well, for these signs now appearing Serve to remind me a deadline is nearing. Those whom God gives priceless time to grow old Can beautify selves with aids never sold! By using the sacraments and prayer We can become constantly more fair. Try It! If you would rather give than take You're not looking for anything, yet you'll make A great find often, nevertheless, for giving's receiving—HAPPINESS! Ignorance Is Bliss? His hair is light brown, like Jeanie's of song, Though his is as short as her's must have been long; His chin is dimpled, cheeks rosy and fat, But he's as unaware of all that As he is of the fact that if life's to be good, He must learn how to behave as he should! We adults are responsible for teaching him this: Willful ignorance can't spell eternal bliss. On Ash Wednesday A little extra sacrifice, more time for prayer, Will carry you to the foot of the cross. When you are there On Good Friday afternoon, your soul will be glad You made use of every opportunity you had To offer reparation to the suffering One, Savior of the world, God's only begotten Son! Empathy The pathos a gifted tragedienne Could muster is in the quavering "Bye" Of our son, just two, bereft of joy As dad takes leave of him. But I Know no Thespian clings to me, Kissing his moistened, salty cheeks. This is real life—real grief. He needs The wholehearted comfort that he seeks. Soon he's at play, dad will return! He laughs, expects the same from me. Such ephemeral diverse moods, of course, Don't preclude a mother's empathy. With our heavenly mother it's also thus. She stands ready to console, or rejoice with us. On New Year's Day Everyone speaks of clean slates and new pages Today—both the unwise and the sages, And both have a chance to start a new, A more spiritual life. Who is going to? Death Death is not a grim reaper, Indeed, it is a friend To those who use life joyously Preparing for its end. Beggar On All Saint's Eve On All Saint's Eve, as I stand at my door Treating goblins and ghosts from my ready store Of goodies, I'll use idle moments to pray To those whom we'll honor on the next day, To beg from them—to beg for prayers That I may share the bliss that their's. Be Greedy Take for yourself some time to pray And mediate a while each day. Reserve for yourself the right to do All that your conscience tells you to. Before all else, put your own salvation, Beg spiritual favors without cessation. November Shower Let's give the Poor Souls a shower Of constant and fervent prayers, Remembering it's not tears that have power To quench the thirst that is their's! October Octogenarian Her hands no longer scoops, the leaves Descend a second time. Soon thieves— Cold driving rain, resultant mire— Will rob them of their gold and fire; But now, once more a keyboard on the ground, No plaintive sound The music they make with her feet. She finds it sweet. Who has weathered well so many seasons cannot mourn Winter's coming. Death sires the reborn. But remembered vernal promise of this tree Her heart holds closer still than flaming beauty her eyes see! Shepherds' Thanksgiving In the space of a hush a Babe was born. An approaching dawn became Christmas morn, As humble tongues found words to say Thanks to the Father. We, today, Who could not be there with them then, Join voices now in grateful "Amen." On The First Sunday Of Advent When you've sent your greetings to all you know And tied the final bright colored bow And Christmas is near; When your house is so clean it seems to shine And the air is redolent with pine And Christmas is near; When you've assembled all the toys For your little girls and boys And Christmas is near; When tins of cookies overflow And childrens' eyes are all aglow And Christmas is near; Will you look back and find a reason To rejoice as the season Of Christmas nears, Because you have put first things first And satisfied an Infant's thirst For love as Christmas nears? Make these weeks of preparation Replete with prayer and reparation And be glad as Christmas nears! Remnant of Paradise Steeled to be ruthless when bedtime comes, A smile, although toothless, turns my hard crust into crumbs! Not for long Measured by some, While infant nestling in my arms Exerts inherited age-old charms. What a special grace can a heart compose For such a feast? What verbal rose Bears nectar equating a baby's crow? Eve know Eden. Eve would know. On Thanksgiving Blessed with fine family, with friends, and good health, Burdened neither by poverty nor great wealth, Each day should find me giving thanks, And mostly for the gift that ranks Highest,—for my faith. Today Especially I want to pray Should You, God, take all else from me, Leave me that, and may I be Ever grateful, Lord, to Thee. A Pair Of Hearts Fashion your greetings of love and prayers And send them to your friends in pairs— One of each, for thought one finds Valentines of various kinds, If you follow this direction, Your's will be "Deluxe selection," Honoring a saint in a special way And bringing God's blessings on your day! Especially Let your manners never desert you at home; Insist on their company wherever you roam; But most of all be sure they're with you When you attend church. They are God's due. At Lent's Beginning Now deep purple twilight before Easter's dawning With black night of Passiontide ominously yawning Ever between. By penance, meditation, and prayer we can span All that separates us and the living God-Man. Let us wean Ourselves from the worldly, thus self-sacrificed Soon we'll kneel in the light of the Risen Christ! Star Gazing (To Children, God Bless Them!) Star gazing starts the quite young set To making wishes. Oftener yet, Their wistful sisters, half-shy brothers, To dreaming wide-eyed. As for mothers, Along with dads, they give thanks due To the fulfillment found in you. You You are peace, you are quiet, And in you I find repose. You are strength, you are purpose, So my resolution grows. You are knowledge, you are wisdom, And your vision makes mine wide. You're humility and meekness, Causing me to know my pride. You are tolerance and fairness, Bias glees before your gaze. You are gratitude and kindness, Which refreshes more than praise. You are gentleness and patience, How you calm my restless mind! You are happiness and joy, Can I help respond in kind? You are faith and you are hope, Hesitation falls away, But above all you are love, Entering in my heart to stay. On Seeing A Jet I have seen more than one flash intrepid wings, Have heard the adventurous song each sings, And though I have never been aboard In imagination I have soared To places, except by book unknown, To feet that have walked but have not flown, And nowhere is a wonder that can surpass What is mine at the end of a stroll to Mass! Birds Of A Feather At the heady age of nine, A boy (I think of one of mine) First baseball uniform worn proudly, Is often tempted to boast loudly, Yet though cocky he may seem, He knows the game's won by a team. And we can conquer selves and sin By joining the team that plays to win. Let Us Pray Temptation's much easier to shunt If it is our daily wont To walk in love as well as fear And speak to our Shepherd, ever near. Acts of ardent faith and hope, Of charity, will help us cope With snares encountered on our way. To live as a Christian is to pray. Daydream In Pink Or Blue Daydreams belong to immaturity. They are best put away With dolls, with high school autographs, with the ribbon to a bride's bouquet. Building imaginary split-levels around her dime store kitchenwares Is not a fault of which she's guilty, but who would mind if she dares, In her newly won wifehood, let one dimpled dream intrude Upon unaccustomed practicalities, one that love has wooed? Another Fall Knew is throbbing, Mother's kissed it? Terribly torn! Why sure! Pain's atrocious, Said a prayer, Can't be borne... Best cure. Never make it, Reminded me Home's too far; Of Jesus' fall Could as soon Beneath His cross Reach a star. For us all. To The Church Of My Childhood (Cincinnati) Serene church of fruitful reverie, St. Monica's, you were to me A tower of faith midst darkling fears, Beckoning, sparkling, through my tears; An oasis where I shared joy and love Or sought the counsel of the Dove; But most of all, a place to adore The One that is forevermore. Negating the miles, my spirit finds repose Even now at your heart where the constant lamp glows. Where sacraments first nourished my famished soul Is a bit of rear-heaven my memory stole. Industry Overcome laziness as a fault, Industry's the key to a vault Containing many riches; Extra moments to work and pray, For meditation, for wholesome play, Are found in appropriate niches. Take your allotted measure And transform them to spiritual treasure. Blind Confessor Daily he fumbles for the church doorknob, Haltingly walks the aisle, Falters to the first confessional Where he'll spend a long fruitful while. And he who gropes shrouded in blackness, Blessed with transcendent insight, Receives those who come in their darkness And dismisses them bathed in his light. Stretch Did you grow a bit today? Tomorrow strive as never before To stretch even more as you work and pray Toward the feet of One whom you adore! Shield Of Sinners Immaculate, Gleaming shield she stands, Loving a sullied world... Pierced hands! Motherlike, She keenly feels each nail Wounding her who shares A Son's travail. Suddenly... Shattering her pain...a word, "Mother, behold thy Son," His mercy heard. Obediently, E'en before blood stains His side, She embraces the sinners For whom He died. Childlike, We clasp our shield, a soul, Though knowing sorrow's sword, Sinlessly whole! Kindness A tonic,—a most beneficial gift To him to whom it's tendered; But apt to give even more of a lift To the one by whom it's rendered. The March Of The Days The days are approaching in rapid succession From obscurity behind tomorrow's bend. Their number's uncertain but there'll be no recession, No slackening of pace to herald their end. So I must be ever ready for action, Using each well with the help of God's grace, Then I can smile insatisfaction As the last one suddenly falls into place. A Baby Boy Greets Mary Upon his shoulders Atlas bore the world's weight, all alone! Thus, one syllable, an echo, tiny and exquisite poem, Must tell, in toto, needs and fancies, make every question known; Two letters said and once repeated,—these, his whole linguistic tome. His tongue finds most delicious and with generous grace bestows MAMA, manna most nutritious, upon everyone he knows! In praise of you, Mary, accept this only word today. Realization's quickly growing, soon he'll greet you with Ave! Home Safe With advancing years some people lose Enthusiasm. We must choose To never let this be our fate. We may have to change our gait, But whether we're seven or seventy-seven, Home plate for us is always heaven. With the game so well worth winning, Let's give our all to every inning! Perception How little we know, and yet how much, If we hold God is truth. Let us clutch Blind faith close to our souls and hearts, For perception will grow in the crannies it starts. Easy, Now If you're gifted with a tongue that's clever, Pray always you'll be careful never To use it to thoughtlessly entertain At the cost of another's pain. Endlessness When a man lets greed become his master, Watch his wan face with despair be etched As he is driven faster, faster, On a track where no finish line has been stretched. "I Am Sorry" Contrition does not consist of Pronoun, verb, and adjective, But rather of the reality That makes those three words live. Patience When little hands are reaching, reaching, Busy body straining, straining, God gives the year-old smile so fetching To keep mom patient while she's teaching. Jealousy Jealousy's like an insidious snake, No warning rattle does it give, So root it out. Make no mistake, You must if you would have love live. Help Needed (Compensation Eternal) Could you turn a hungry child away, Feel no remorse because you say, "I'll remember you each time I pray?" Refuse a poor cripple in need of a cane, Not flinching when he begs in vain As you close your purse upon his pain? Ignore a heathen's earnest plea You tell him of Divinity, Yet pray for converts faithfully? Reject a brother for his race, Not even looking past his face, And then beg for his Savior's grace? We owe the missionaries prayer, But those who can must give their share To help God send them everywhere, To help them help those who need care. Freedom Freedom from want is a wondrous gift, So is freedom from wanting too much, let us lift Our voices in thanksgiving for the first each day And not ask many luxuries be strewn on our way. St. Paul In Captivity So very long free in disbelief, Suddenly enslaved by love, He knows it is freedom that's a thief, Grasping hand in silken glove, Snatching time, making no return, While gold shackles of faith make count Each second the captive heart and soul burn With an ardor that leads to its fount. The Stations I. Jesus is condemned to death. Let's give thanks with every breath That in this trial love has won Over sin through Mary's Son. II. Jesus is made to bear His cross. Shouldn't we offer every loss, Humiliation, pain, or grief, To give our weary Lord relief? III. Jesus falls the first time, yet He rises and goes on. Forget Your falls. Let's start anew The way our Savior wants us to. IV. Jesus meets His mother and Her love is like an outstretched hand Helping Him to go His way. Let's add our love to her's today. V. Simon helps Jesus to carry the cross. When our's is heavy, we'd like to toss It aside; instead come let us ask Aid from our Lord to finish the task. VI. Veronica wipes Christ's bloodstained face. Her reward time won't erase. You'll bless us, Lord, forever, too, If we but prove our love for You. VII. Jesus falls again, oh how His body yearns to rest, but now, As before, He carries on. Temptation to despair, begone! VIII. Now we see the women weep. Christ speaks though He can hardly creep. Weigh each word. How every wise The man with open ears and eyes! IX. Jesus now suffers His third fall Patiently as He has all His torments, and we know it's thus Because of His infinite love for us. X. Jesus is stripped of His garments. How low We bow because of course, we know Such shame should be heaped upon our heads With our skins the ones reduced to shreds. XI. Jesus is nailed to the cross. Each blow Down through the centuries will echo so Our ears, if they listen, can plainly hear All, if sin has not rendered them sere. XII. Now at length the God-Man dies. Let us kill all our old ties With Satan, start a new life here,— With hope replacing cowardly fear. XIII. From the cross Jesus is taken down, A dead King wearing a thorny crown! Our death can be bliss just begun Because of what His death has won. XIV. Jesus's body is laid in the tomb. How small and dark, and yet there's room For countless hearts to warm it well With a love Roman soldiers cannot quell. Vocation The shepherds were not expecting The heavenly visitation, yet wasted no time in reflecting On its full connotation, simple sped To find the Infant where the angels said He'd be. Others were of higher origin, perhaps more blessed with grace, But they would be among the first to see the Savior's face! Faith and good will their gifts, and in a little while They found their peace on earth in the curve of a Baby's smile. Epiphany's Exchange Of Gifts The Christmas star shines again in the eyes Of all by the light of faith made wise Who bear tokens of love to the tiny one, Known as Joseph the Carpenter's son. They give many gifts not just to the son of many, But of God, whose Virgin Birth began So long ago true Christian joy, Our's from the hands of a newborn Boy! My Treasures Pete's a pirate again. It's fun To watch the gamut he can run, Starting at breakfast, right through dinner, From glorious saint to blackest sinner. Now he's threatening to steal my treasure. Little pillager, it's my pleasure To know that you're a considerable part Of all held dearest by my heart; And if faith, hope, and charity can be pelf In a play pirate's treasure chest, help yourself! More Than A Hobby Make of interior decorating A business, and you'll find Prayer fine material for renovating Heart and should and mind. Holy, Holy, Holy If in heaven's perfect happiness Angels could lament, It would be for the prayerless days By this earth's mortals spent. We acknowledge a God most laudable With the Seraphim, Let's put time to eternal use In constant praise of Him! Lullaby For A Child Of God Little brown-eyed boy of mine, It is almost your bed time; First your bath, that's no chore, Hard to tell just who laughs more! Then your sleepers, mother's firm But you simply have to squirm. Now with your soap and water charms, You'll win your way to daddy's arms. For you the day would not end well Unless he rocked you for a spell, Whispering prayers you yet can't say To rightly end your happy day. To St. Anthony St. Anthony, I named my son, My first born—long my only one— For you. For more than seventeen years You've helped him chart the course he steers. I thank you and, as ever, pray Your prayers will guide him all the way Until he safely reaches port To proffer his thanks to heaven's court. At Three A sweet sort of rascal is Peter, just three, Who loves to tease and be teased constantly. An uncharted hurricane! A house with him in it Can hardly offer a peaceful minute. Like hirsute tops our poor heads spin, Keeping track of whatever new mischief he's in, Yet, when in church, he's quiet and serene, Probably just mimicking our mien, As we pray that his little heart full of laughter Finds the faith that brings joy here and hereafter. How To Win Friends And Heaven Lack confidence in yourself. It's known You can try anything you should, You can face anything you must, You can be as good as you would And gain heaven if you just Lack confidence in yourself alone, In His Sacred Heart place all your trust. On July Fourth Our country's another year older today; Wiser and stronger it waxes, we pray. The promising infant it was at birth Stands tall now, proud of its fertile girth. Its source of strength? (May it always be!) The God it worships through you and me. One Day I sifted the wonder of every flower, And the foreboding of one breathless hour Which gave way to sheets of rain in a shower; Toed pebbles in an agitated brook, Turned minted feet to an obscure nook To refresh soul as well with the best selling book' Again restless (before a child's eyes), Dispatched thoughts beyond still opaque skies For answers to adult hows and whys. But the confines of vision and the frame of my mind Didn't alter the fact that I could but find One core to this day, or the next, as before— One God, omnipresent, to love and adore. Delayed Action? You can sooner cool another's hot head If your own lips leave sizzling words unsaid, But the victory is Satan's and not your own If they later stream forth in an ice cold tone. Behind Mortality If man's frantic efforts to attain the moon are sated, He must still mind that all like him, since Adam, have been fated To reach beyond the moon, the sun, the stars, Beyond Venus, Jupiter, and Mars, To Him Who made these most intriguing, yet ephemeral, toys That each of His immortal children so enjoys! Visits To The Blessed Sacrament If you've not much to do and no place to go, SOMEONE is waiting, as you know, You have many places to go today? Church is surely right on your way! Popularity Concern if I'm liked a lot or a little Shouldn't add up to even a tot, a title, If to please God my life I live, Thus my best self to others give. Two Year Old Catholic Beribboned hat on crew-cut head, Mom's purse in hand, he blithely said, "I'm off the church" 'Twas plain to see There was no place else he'd rather be. Parting The narrow way looks wider now Than when you came along, I tread its rocky steepness and Have breath left of a sone. Though eyes may mist, my soul forbids My lips set free a murmur. What matters sorrow when you've made My resolution firmer? Something Else No love is it that asks us shame Our souls with sin in love's own name. No love is it asks us deny The Love for which we live and die. No love is it in which we fall So deeply we don't heed God's call. Common Sense Of more value than a Ph.D. Is a degree of common sense; Experience often exacts a toll This can be a recompense! Can You? He who lies to others himself is deceived Very often in thinking he's been believed. How different the man who is honest and just, Who, when met with unwarranted distrust, Or having his truths returned with falsities, Can rely on the man in the mirror with ease! On January 1 I made a dozen resolutions today before I decided on just one to cover them all—Pray more! Pride Pride's a wall built brick by brick, So take it down that way. Be quick, Before the mortar's hardened and The task is almost out of hand! God's Holy Will I prayed, "Dear God, we've three boys now, Would seem a girls is what is needed." And now I'm sure, as always sure, That was, as all our prayers are, heeded. For did He not send little Joe? (No other could compare, we know.) It was for him, of course, I pleaded, When I asked God's will be done. God's will was our beloved son! Love Human love is a precious gem, a treasure That's beyond man's finite power to measure; But don't use a magnifying glass because Only love that's divine is a jewel without flaws. Help Wanted Who needs guidance most, Is it toddler or teener, Or just little Mr. In-betweener? Those tiny feet are wont to stray And little lips must learn to pray. But his big size ten's might dance all night long, And her reddened lips forget prayer in song. So it looks like the task will take twenty years Warmed will with laughter, tempered with tears. Christening Gift We named him for St. Albert the Great When almost new, so very small, For we knew a friend beyond heaven's gate A patron on whom he could always call, Eager to guide him lest he fall, Would be the finest gift of all! Lent Penance is laving! Penance is saving! Deny self in living For a God all-forgiving, Fasting and praying, Concupiscence staying. Point Of View To certain blithe spirits, the coming of springtime Means virtual rebirth in the verdant outdoors; But to some hapless humans, it only spells cleaning And grudgingly trudging behind power mowers! So it is with the season of Lent. We can welcome it as heaven-sent, Or dread it because of the penance it means. It's all in the point of view, it seems. Courage Don't make a crutch of courage And go limping after the strong; Fashion of it a backbone And join that valiant throng Who surmount life's obstacles As they come along! Prayer For A Son's Future Accustomed to ungentleness How can small awkward hands caress So softly cheek and hair? Inevitably, destruction comes Through eight small fingers, tiny thumbs, Completely unaware When handling but inanimate things They have the touch of angels' wings. But, Lord, I know when he Matures a little, he'll reflect Before he acts. More circumspect With objects he will be. Then may he still most often smile On what's eternally worthwhile! To Sunday's Latecomers In eternity maybe You'll find unclocked hours to spare, Regretting precious moments which Are then forever lost to prayer. Angry Words Apology's soothing ointment alleviates the throbbing Of an angry wound, can calm, perhaps, the sobbing Of an injured one, but scars may still deface A formerly beautiful friendship,—scars you can't erase. Retracting hurtled words as sharp as splintered glass you'll rue You did not lock them up to die unsaid inside you. Experiment Drop just one cheery word Onto a dull blue day. Watch its shining smithereens Convert humdrum to gay! Joy In Giving Don't volunteer a sacrifice, Then not strive for joy in giving, For self-pity's no foundation For true Christian living. No Charge Don't you think it's wiser To try an aspiration Before a tranquillizer? You've a larger ration! Bonus If you possess your soul in peace, Held in trust for God alone, There's one more thing you'll need not lease, For happiness will be your own! For Our Country Let charity be the pulse of the nation As hope is its lifeblood, faith the see of creation; Then each measured beat will find it much nearer That perfection of love which is Deity's mirror. Rhythm I love symphonic music and old fashioned waltzes. Jazz and sweet ballads both hold their chars; But I know I'm most partial to rocking chair rhythm With my dear baby boy asleep in my arms. And the words my heart sings in time with the motion From a prayer God will guide my maternal devotion. Good Example The lips of grown-ups often loose False notes their hearts aren't playing; But toddlers, not yet devious, While frequently delaying Understanding, speak what is In words???—well, nonconveying! Soon they'll talk distinctly so Our own speech let's be weighing; Then they'll learn from our example Truth only is worth saying. Intuition A man's heart's sometimes like a jungle. You must keep a firm grasp on the swath Of your scythe and work with a will If you'd clear a straight path To its core, where usually is found Love, tenderness, highest ideals. What another man may grow to learn Some woman intuitively feels! Supplication There come dart times when it's hard to pray With the lips just one Ave Or one Pater. On such a day As that, I like to finger my beads, And think of a heavenly mother who heeds A dependent child's unspoken needs. Modesty Modesty is a marvelous veil Which becomes woman more than moonlight, Enhancing her loveliness without fail In both human and divine sight. Thoughtfulness It usually takes some effort And often a little time, too, But mostly it just calls for A bit of Y-O-U! Fruitfulness Don't begrudge a deserved word of praise to a brother Who, in turn, will be likely to encourage another. Needless digs are boomerangs you can't escape, But a compliment spawns more shoots than the grape. Rosary When you can't sleep, Why count sheep Who aren't even there? Flinger those beads Which are the seeds That blossom into prayer. Love And Lust Two lanes have names that start with L; One leads to heaven, the other to hell. Greed Greed's astringency leaves the heart Little room to store Many treasures. Why not start Making room for more? To The Bereaved Don't believe time alone can heal the wound of grief, Take it to our Lord and prove constant belief. Find the only source from which true solace will spring. The heart that prays unceasingly soon learns again to sing. On May First Dedicated to you Is this blue blest May, With its gay flower accents And golden overlay. We thank you for your care And constant aid, and daily Offer our love to you. Ave, Regina Coeli! To Mary Mary, the children of this earth Who contemplate with love your birth And with awe your glorious Assumption, Lean on you not in presumption, But in a confidence rightly placed In a soul uniquely graced. Gifts God gave us feet so we could walk, Eyes to see, a voice to talk, A nose that smells, ears that hear, Hands to touch things that are near, A mind to think with if we would, A heart to love with as we should, And a soul to master all With help from Him at our first call. On Memorial Day Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish, What is the story of each grave, Of the common clay that's hidden, Of the life that each one gave Fore country and his fellow man? Here many lie who cannot cry, "Forget...forget us, if you can!" Music To sing to God, for God, of God, For this was music born, To jet man's spirits to the skies Upon each bird-blest morn; To give tongue to his adoration, Love, hope, and belief, Bring tears to cool his grief. Silence may boast a golden luster But the iridescent sheen Of music overlays its radiance, Letting it dull unseen. Answer I wrote in runes upon the sand With the pointer of one hand: "Where are You, God, oh where, oh where?" And the surf boomed out its thunder In a kind of joyous wonder, EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE! I freed a whisper to the air, Half a question, half a prayer: "Where are You, God, oh where, oh where?" And the wind pushing the rain Ecstatically drummed this refrain, EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE! I climbed atop a green-robed hill Where mere thought could shatter still: "Where are You, God, oh where, oh where?" In the innocence of the young, In the patience of the old, On an invalid's quiet tongue, In all that charity makes bold. Then the ancient sea cried out, The depth of fathoms in its shout: GOD IS NEAR, IS NEAR! I wrote in runes upon the sand: "My God is here." Enthusiasm Enthusiasm lets clear water Tingle the throat like wine, And puts upon the dullest day An irradiant shine; It gives a cutting edge to mind, And uncontained the flame That pushes soul toward vital goal Until it wins the game. If I could have but one companion, I'd choose a man of zest To purloin all my gray tinged thoughts And spare me too much rest! April You were so exquisite In lavender and white, Wearing my favorite scent! I had waited for you eagerly, Looked for you constantly, Everywhere I went. You didn't have long to stay, But I gathered you close Before your time was spent. For you'd brought thoughts of God That would forever linger, Lilac, of the heaven-lent. Tears Tears come easily to youth and to senility, Displaying more or less poignant grief, But sometimes we can't see The hurt that aches behind dry eyes. The pain a smile can hide, The tears that flow inside a man Who was a boy that cried. Music Of Love If all who exercise vocal chords outside the church complaining about congregational singing, exercised them in church instead, their own ears might be the first to profit. Favorites A bud, A flower, A burgeoning bower, A scent Takes flight In cool of night. No "ah" From me Hyperbole!—Honeysuckle Mute bells, not music but haunting fragrancy Broadcasts your blessed vagrancy. Proudly erect, but still half-hidden, you grow; I wonder! Do or don't you know You are, categorically, of nature's best, Modest, dainty, bridal-dressed!—Lily of the Valley Velvet pixie face, how elfishly you grace Many a cool, sun-dappled place! Often you are clothed in gold or predominantly royal hue, And always you herald your King anew. A smile, gentle as night's farewell to morn, Found its life when you were born.—Pansy Easter Today the trillium pushes through the sod And all nature is awakening to glorify God. Easter bells ring out our gladness, Obliterating Good Friday's sadness. Hearts are light with faith and hope And love. Just like a heliotrope Turns lightward, do we face the Son, Through whom salvation has been won, And let our adoration rise Gloriously toward spring's soft skies. To A Dear Sister Under The Skin (And Habit) News Headline: New look in nun's clothing, Modernization of convent dress under way. Sister, you may be on the verge Of a great change! Should you emerge From your present garments, be mindful, please, Of such little helpful hints as these: Joining the sisterhood of the high heel? The more you sit the better you'll feel, And it is well, too, if at night You soak your feet, first left, then right. And remember sheer nylons do spring ladders, Distracting one from more serious matters, So keep close at hand at least one spare, Not letting your dearest friend know where. Use a razor quite often on limbs that must show For nature is pertinacious, you know! You'll retire later, rise a bit early To handle those rollers if hair is uncurly. Nowadays most women abhor to be seen If their tresses have not that added sheen. Now religiously count each calorie. To add Pounds where gathers have fled is bad. If you stick to this regime for a while and your brow Is still unfurrowed, you tell us how! Remembering Whittier Blessings on thee, graying man, With aching feet of an often-ran! Well past they estimated noon, Still whistling a merry tune; With thy lip no longer red, No longer wild strawberry fed; With the sunshine on thy face, And in thy smile through heaven's grace; From my heart I give thee joy— You were once a barefoot boy! What Is A Vow? WHAT IS A VOW? What does it mean, A pledge for now, the future scene? What is a vow, think well, think well! Love to unlove, words to untell? What is a vow, a thing apart? Broken—wormwood to the heart. What is a vow, part of a soul To break a man or keep him whole! Nails Yes, we are nails, and nails were meant To build, not to destroy, But we were used to help take the life Of the Lord of love and Joy. Cruel was the pain we caused and yet That pain but proved He would Spare Himself no suffering To save all whom He could. Oh, gaze upon those wounded hands, Those wounded feet, and plead For the grace to know that You, Not we, have made them bleed! On A Summer Day When shade's kissing the cheeks, wind's caressing the hair, A heart's close to heaven because God is there. When pine needles blessedly cushion the feet, Or the crotch of a gnarled tree serves as a seat, Whose tongue is so mute it adds no lay To that of the songbirds on such a day? Let's praise the Creator, let our thoughts become words That wing farther and faster than the swiftest of birds. Pious Platitude For the following verse, composed while I was vacuuming the living room carpet and not while reading their writings, I tender sincere apologies to those professional and emergent laymen who have added so much to the vitality of the Church, and may I assure them, I enjoy their intellectualism to the limit of my understanding when happily exposed to it. Also, I too enjoy a truly thought- provoking sermon above grade school love. Yet I feel called upon to rally to the support of the beloved parish priest of my acquaintance. It is to tem, next to God, I owe any spiritual progress I have made in my life; to them, next to God, I owe even the will to try. I hear and read complaints about sermons. Naturally, some are good and some are not so good. But I for one won't complain if priests in their sermons keep reminding me of the simple truths learned in childhood. I think most people think the same way: The flock is soaring ahead, Straight for heaven's gate, Dreading to be too early, Dreading to be too late! But where, oh where, is the shepherd? Could he have lost his way, Or did he dare lag behind Seeking a moment to pray? A courier is frantically searching, Frightened and out of breath; It seems a progressive layman Lies on the brink of death. Action is out of the question; He's bogged down in a terrible slough, Feels a pious platitude Is all that can help him now! Recipe For Happiness Add a dollop of self denial to one God-given day; Sprinkle with minute meditations, Dot with extra prayers you say; Fill with kindness to others, Warm with a generous smile; Then you'll want to place this recipe In your tried and proven file. Gifts Of Love How much God loves His little friends Is plain to see from the gifts he sends: Those first few fleeting flakes of snow, The scent of grass you've helped to mow, Bright morning glories climbing high, The blue of a gay October sky! Offer your day to the One Who lifts Your spirits high with generous gifts. Each In Its Place My tulips were marching, endlessly marching, Parading their beauty for all to see, While violets creeping, coyly peeping, Marveled that such could find favor with me. I chided them gently: "A thousand suns Couldn't augment your loveliness, cloistered ones, But these are some which God has made That would only wither and die in the shade; And the golden sun which each one sups Is returned to the Giver in lustrous cups Held high, not in arrogance, but to glorify God"— My heart gladdened to see each dear violet nod! For God's Altar What a question it poses, This prize of my roses, Shall I cut it and bring it indoors? Can softly draped hangings and hard polished floors Serve as background for this golden gem, So regally enthroned on its wax-like stem? Or will it bow in grief too soon, Missing the earth, the sun, the moon, The caress of the breeze, to whose unrivaled scent Its own perfume has now been lent? But there is a place It gladly will grace— Gladly, though petals soon fall, In atonement, dear Lord, for an unadorned stall, Cold birthplace of the Creator of all. Pete's Pansies He talks to them, he touches tem, Extols them one and all. Is it because when next to them He's able to feel tall? I'd rather think his year-old heart Is glad God loves the small. Big And Little Dippers Do the Dippers hold more than seen be the eye, A tiny bit of jet black sky? Do their starry scoops contain prayers said By the young before they are tucked in bed, From the first one murmured in ages past, Right up to the very last? It's fun to let fancy take reign at the sight Of their giving glory to God at night; And it's good to remember, both night and day, To let nature's wonders remind you to pray. First Communicants First Communicants Veils of airy lightness, suits and dresses white— They approach the altar, stepping left, then right, Eyes reverently downcast, silently lips pray; Weeks of preparation preceded this blessed day. In unison they kneel, as a bell is rung; The choir chants the Introit, for Mass has now begun, What supernatural faith, and joy, light each expectant face, Reflecting beauty of a soul that's in the state of grace. Love's Proof Some men know not the love they easily feign, But God's love for mankind found proof in pain. When thorns of disappointment pierce a soul Or a body sinks in weariness, unwhole; When consolations come but far apart And tongue is swollen, dumb, then does the heart Still cherish a Name with power to ignite A fire that makes sun-bright the darkest night? In Advent In Advent, in each pregnant week, Let soul be stirred More, more to seek The Word. In Advent, rout the sin that sickens An expectant earth. Let love that quickens Give birth In Advent, to more love and build An eternal crèche In a soul that's stilled The flesh! The Odds That "one for the road" may not get you from here to eternity, but it certainly proves you don't mind taking chances. Terse Verse Rudeness can become a habit, But kindness can, too; Consider which is more becoming, And make it part of you. Ordination Day On this glorious, much anticipated morn A mother feels unworthy of the fruit she's borne; It now, at length, has ripened into full maturity, She would not, if she could, defer the final cutting free; Pride cannot be denied, yet humbly low her bow— God's time for harvesting His chosen ones is now. Lenten Meditation How rough is this wood—splintered, see! The weight is so great it's wearying me. The way is quite steep, so steep, indeed, Have I the stamina that I need? How I complain as I go my way! What lack of trust; better I pray. Therein, of course, I find my strength, And when I put down my cross at length At those pierced feet, then I shall rue How light the burden I've borne for You. Mama's Math I received an "A" in math in school But my sons don't judge me fair In dividing oblong cakes, Those round or even square. I believe the trouble is because Our family numbers seven, If six or eight, I'd rule A geometric heaven! Trek Before Dinner A few drops of water A glance at the soap, A move toward the towel As he clings to vain hope That this time mother Will not think to check And he can avoid Remaking the trek! Luncheonette Hamburger may be healthful But limburger packs the punch That makes the nearby soup-slurper Hurry with his lunch. Worth Singing About The morning is dreary, drizzly and cold, But the little robin at least is bold Enough to come out and cheerily sing, For in spite of the weather he knows it is spring; Hearing him, children begin to smile. And even the sun comes out for a while! Pride can keep a man from knowing Where he's been and where he's going; Dizziness from a great height Can seriously affect one's sight! Observation A task accomplished cheerfully Is usually a successful one, But something tackled tearfully Oftentimes is not well done. To My Mother Dreams come and go with the phases of the moon; Memories hold together the worn out soul; Dead loved ones reappear like mist; Touching fingers disappear in smoke. The hidden pain is the heaviest of all— It only shows behind the wrinkles and behind the painful movements of an arthritic body; Yet the world beats on, and demands her to follow. The eastern sky laughs at the world every morning: It has nothing to do but laugh And she has naught to do but laugh along with it. Her strength lies entwined in pain and joy Her faith keeps her steady Her smile speaks like ages of hope to a suffering soul. Learning From Others When I become a bit depressed, I count the ways in which I'm blessed, And notice those with heavier crosses, Who seem to turn to gain, their losses. They always seem eager to share A loaf, a smile, a hopeful prayer, And walk the way of happiness, Giving more, asking less. Fellow Travelers Today I take your hand, Tomorrow you may need mine; We share in one great love, The love of the Divine. Today I soothe your brow, Tomorrow you'll comfort me, We have a common bond, It's called humanity. Christmas Forever In the silence of a soul On Christmas Eve, Lies wonderment... I hope won't leave Through all of life! God in His love sent His Son from heaven above. O Blessed Truth, O wondrous night Transform our hearts with astral light.
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