At the Door (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 28, 2022, feast day of the Totemsk-Sumorin Icon of the Mother of God, and of (above) Blessed Olympia Bida (communist Eastern Europe), Saint Ephraim the Syrian, Saint Isaac the Syrian, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig, Saint Constantly, Saint Julian of Cuenca, Blessed Maria Luisa Montesinos Orduna,  and Saint Radegonde of Celles. Image from here.)

At the Door

(for my great grandmother Elizabeth Otten, of blessed memory) 

A nudge, last minute instructions: “ When you sense a door opening in 

you, enter”. So she does. Props it open with the Rosary in her pocket.

Pocket reached for, Aves, in snatched moments. Bustling feet in her 

restaurant–-no hindrance. Nor the slackened step this night, 1935. Click

of “Closed” sign, bill of sale. Not to be, back door ladling of soup 

(like Saint Elizabeth) but a nudge to continue and be gradually

different. Switch to manager, pass down recipes for dumplings,

winter stew. One hand out to descendents (Rosaries

in pockets) feeling for the doorframe in

unison--

Now Open

*From combined prompts: Freewrite as inspired by Czeslaw Milosz’s Late Ripenes (whose “I felt a door opening in me and I entered” was quoted/adapted, above), and John Asbery’s Late Echo (whose “to continue and be gradually different”  is quoted, above). From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, January 28, 2022.

Of Late (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 28, 2022, feast day of the Totemsk-Sumorin Icon of the Mother of God, and of (above) Saint Julian of Cuenca, Saint Ephraim the Syrian, Saint Isaac the Syrian, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig, Saint Constantly, Blessed Maria Luisa Montesinos Orduna, Blessed Olympia Bida (communist Eastern Europe),  and Saint Radegonde of Celles. Image from here.)

Of Late

Late (adj.):.. from PIE *led- "slow, weary," 

from root *‌‌lē- "to let go, slacken."

–-etymoline.com

the late self, the buried self, the weary slow and slackened self,

the simply seeking life self, the fallen trickle of stream self, the 

sensing this is movement self, the sensing death can rise self,

the sensing all in its own time self, the seed under blanket of

snow self, the sap of subtle tune self, the

lullaby of sojourning self, of

lullay late self, 

lullay,

lullay,

lullay...

                           

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by the etymology of “late”. From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, January 28, 2022.

Biju (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, January 24, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Damascus (modern miracle here), of Our Lady of Tears, of Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Xenia ("stranger") of Rome, Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg, and Blessed Paula Gambara Costa. Jewish calendar today remembers Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah Schneerson (1901-1988). Image from here.)

Biju

(for Our Lady of Damascus, on Her feast day;

and in anticipating Conversion of Paul the Apostle)

Be (v.):..from Proto-Germanic *biju- 

"I am, I will be."--etymonline.com

I am spent, I will be worried.

I am shifting, to I am kind. 

I am kind, I will be hopeful. 

I am hopeful, I will be looking. 

I am looking, I will be surprised. 

I am surprised, I will hold gifts.

I hold gifts, I will unwrap.

I unwrap, I will ponder.

I ponder, I will understand a bit.

I understand a bit, I will have a tool.

I have a tool, my hands something to hold;

                                   with something to hold,

                                                I will not be worried. 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by the etymology of “be”. From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, January 24, 2022.

Rebellion of Sisyphus (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, January 24, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Damascus (modern miracle here), of Our Lady of Tears, of (above) Saint Xenia ("stranger") of St. Petersburg, Saint Xenia of Rome, Saint Francis de Sales, and Blessed Paula Gambara Costa. Jewish calendar today remembers Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah Schneerson (1901-1988). Image from here.)

Rebellion of Sisyphus   

(in memory of Thich Nhat Hanh; after Stephen

Dunn’s Sisyphus and the Sudden Lightness)

What would I be without this burden? Hand 

pried from rock, finds her tea mug, dunk of 

bread. The mountain yet, right outside the

window. Not in here. Glint of glass.

turn of back, on what could have been. 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Stephen Dunn’s Sisyphus and the Sudden Lightness. From Lisa Freedman’s Breathe Read Write, January 24, 2022.

My Mother's Words (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, feast day of Our Lady of the Miracle, and of Saint Eustochia of Calafato. Image from here.)

My Mother's Words

(on Our Lady of the Miracle's feast day)

that one forgets the pain quite immediately, 

arms cradling life, shared breath. Aftermath and 

ache bathed in slanting hue. Days following 

seeking such pastel. Only the soft light you

can trust, now you know 

where you are 

from

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by etymology/concept of birth and related words (I was drawn to Old Welsh beryt "to flow"). From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, January 20, 2022. 

Fairy Tree (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 10, 2021, fourth day of Afterfeast of the Theophany, feastday of the (above) Madonna of the Lament, and of Saint Thekla of Lentini. The Jewish calendar remebers the End of the Elders Era (1228 BC). Image from here.)

Fairy Tree

(at the crossroad of compassion and efficiency, 

 January 9, 2022)

              bee cultivates honey

                                        ladybug eliminates aphids--

                               Rose flourishes

*From prompt: Challenge to freewrite daily/as much as possible this month, from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite.

Epiphany Morn, 2021 (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 6, 2021, Epiphany/Theophany, and feast day of Our Lady of Cana, Saint Wiltrudis (see), Saint Andre Bessett, Saint Edyrn, Saint Julian and Basillisa, and Blessed Gertrude van Oosten. Image from here.)

Epiphany Morn, 2021

Epiphany morn

loosening sky, felicitous mist–-

laugh-drops

*From prompt: Challenge to freewrite daily/as much as possible this month, from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite.

Epiphany Eve, 2021 (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Epiphany/Theophany Eve (see also), feast day of Saint Euprexia and Theogina of Mineo (connected with above Saint Agrippina of Mineo), Saint Emiliana of Rome, Saint Apollonaria of Egypt,  Blessed Marcelina of Doroskwa, Blessed Paula of Tuscany, Prophet Micah, Saint John Neumann, and Saint Genoveva Torres.  Morales. Image from here.)

Epiphany Eve, 2021

forest Christmas lights

soon unplugged. Sky dome, stars–-

ever

*From prompt: Challenge to freewrite daily/as much as possible this month, from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite.