Nearly May Day, 2022 (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Bright Saturday (artos bread, yumm), and feast day of (above) Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Mother of God of the Passion Icon, of Our Lady of Africa, of Saint Onenn of Brittiany, Saint Marie of the Incarnation Guyart,  Saint Hildegard the Empress (Supporter of Saint Saint Lioba), Saint Sophia of Fermo, Blessed William Southerne Blessed Dede Plani. Tonight is Rosh Chodesh (now moon) Iyar. Image from here.)

Nearly May Day, 2022

Her smile the breeze–-

parts the curtain, hands soft in

welcome

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired byJake Adam York’s “City of Grace”; from Lisa Freedman’s Imagination and Justice BreathReadWrite (International Women’s Writing Guild), April 30, 2022.

Clean Sweep (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, Bright Saturday (artos bread, yumm), and feast day of (above) Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Mother of God of the Passion Icon, of Our Lady of Africa, of Saint Onenn of Brittiany, Saint Marie of the Incarnation Guyart,  Saint Hildegard the Empress (Supporter of Saint Saint Lioba), Saint Sophia of Fermo, Blessed William Southerne Blessed Dede Plani. Tonight is Rosh Chodesh (now moon) Iyar. Image from here.)

Clean Sweep

‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not,

dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but

also the most accurate yardstick.

--Marie Kondo

Morning, upon awakening

 

In habit, to inhabit, land spread 

before me. Open space. That’s 

the plan, yes? Sweet habit of return.

Each morning open eyes, to 

surprise… 

Afternoon, at home altar

There is peace here, an 

island. Can an island ripple its sea?

Light through crystal. Icons’ grace.

Grandma Dee’s Miraculous Medal.

A Rosary my uncle made. 

SoulCollage cards. And the

wonder of things--thunder

skipped, settle soft in place.

Not so, the sea, house. Or

not yet

Evening interim (ie prayer)

Her smile the breeze–

parts the curtain, hands soft in

welcome

*From combined prompts: Freewrite as inspired by the etymology of citizen/country/land, by Jamaal May’s “There Are Birds Here”, and by Jake Adam York’s “City of Grace” (respectively); from Lisa Freedman’s BreatheRead Write, April 30, 2022.

Bamboo Sways In the Wind (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Bright Thursday (it's focus is on John 3, Nicodemos), feast day of Our Lady of Quito, Blessed María Felicia Guggiari Echeverria (Chiquitunga), Saints Theodora and Didymus, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, Blessed Marie-Louise Trichet, Saint Benedict of the Bridge, Saint Valeria of Milan, and Blessed Jozef Cebula. Image from here.)

Bamboo Sways In the Wind

Allow yourself to follow this natural rocking and movement 

that comes from within [even as you are “still”]…like a 

bamboo gently moving in the wind.--Dimitri Timoshenko

wind’s

hush,

opening--

offering

Spirit a

home

*Inspired by the Qigong exercise Bamboo Sways in Wind (or Bamboo in Wind), and by artwork and discussion at Janice Ariza and Evan Clendenin's Spiritual Tools For Artists: A Pastel Mood  (Priory of Saint Placid, Lacey, WA), April 28, 2022. 

Bright Week (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 27, 2022, Bright Wednesday, feast day of Our Lady of Montserrat/Moreneta, the (above) Kasperov Icon of the Mother of God (Saint Tatiana and Saint John the Baptist on sides), Burning of Saint Sava'a Relics, feast day of Saint Zita of Lucca, Saint Enoder (grandson of Saint Brychan), Blessed Hosanna of Cattaro and Blessed Maria Antonia Bandres Elosegui. Jewish calendar today commemorates the Passing of Joshua (1245 BC). Image from here.) 

Bright Week

(journal from Eastern Orthodox Easter Week, 2022)

“Open for me just an infinitesimal pinhole,” G‑d pleads, 

“and I will open for you a vast, infinite portal to all My love…”

 --the Lubavitcher Rebbe, via Tzvi Freeman

1. Orthodox Easter, mid-day

a Spring toast

takes but a sec–-rain, joy,

L'chaim!

2. Bright Wednesday, upon awakening

goldfinch trill,

sun’s long languid rise–-

if I could

3. Bright Thursday, after breakfast

something's coming,

fires then fireweed, but listen! 

chime of fairy bells

*From prompt: As Spring leans towards Summer, keeping in mind that waking up to where you are wakes you up to who you are, craft haiku around the area of longing. From Gerry Grubbs’ Writing From Where You Are (The Hive, Cincinnati), April 15, 2022. 

Censer (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Bright Tuesday, feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel, of the Ktitórissa/Bematárissa Icon of the Mother of God, the Dubno-Krasnogorsk Icon of the Mother of God and the Mozdok Icon of the Mother of God. Image from here.)

Censer

as they say the soul is, cradling

incense rising,  essence shining, 

fueled by Breath frank as frankincense, 

free of reserve or disguise.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by etymology of candor; from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, April 26, 2022.

In Her Chamber (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, Bright Tuesday, feast day of Our Lady of Good Counsel, of the Ktitórissa/Bematárissa Icon of the Mother of God, the Dubno-Krasnogorsk Icon of the Mother of God and the (above) Mozdok Icon of the Mother of God. Image from here.)

In Her Chamber

Happy those who meditate on Wisdom...

Who take refuge from the heat in her shade

–from Sirach 9:20,26

all is quiet in Her chamber,

spins mind’s loom, soft

piles of gold, trust Her hands 

know what to do--and what

is true 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Anne Carson’s "Candor"; from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, April 26, 2022.

House ==> Home

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 24, 2022, Divine Mercy Sunday, Orthodox Easter/Pascha, and feast day of Our Lady of Fair Winds/Bonaria, of Saint Mary of Clopas, Saint Salome, and Saint Elizabeth the Wonderworker. Image from here.) 

House ==> Home 

a toast–-

takes just a sec, isn’t complicated

joy, rain, l’chiam!

*inspired by SoulCollage done in Cynthia Hawk's Springtime Renewal, and Open Studio, April 24, 2022

Field Notes (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, April 22, 2022, feast day of Orthodox Great and Holy Friday, of Our Lady of Betharam (connection with Lourdes), of the Miraculous Lady (weeping Icon of Cicero, Illinois), and of (above) Saint Opportuna of Montreuil and Saint Senorina of Basto. Earth Day. Jewish calendar today continues Passover, and commemorates Splitting of the Red Sea. Image from here.)

Field Notes

To the bird out window, we will listen.

To the window needs cleaning, we will listen.

To clean touch of snow, we will listen. 

To snow’s slow form, we will listen.

To a forming word, not quite yet, we will listen.

Not quite perfect, or even close, we will listen.

Close to life, till pass, we will listen.

Pass as bird out window

leans to listen 

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Anne Kennedy’s The Arrivals; from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, April 22, 2022.

Do You? (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, April 22, 2022, feast day of Orthodox Great and Holy Friday, of Our Lady of Betharam (connection with Lourdes), of the Miraculous Lady (weeping Icon of Cicero, Illinois), and of Saint Opportuna of Montreuil and Saint Senorina of Basto. Earth Day. Jewish calendar today continues Passover, and commemorates Splitting of the Red Sea (Miriam in subsequent song, above). Image from here.)

Do You?

…just lived through a miracle, 

we're going to dance tonight...

–Miriam’s Song, Debbie Friedman

I used to sense tiny wings,

nestled just behind the heart--

mine? Yours? not sure, but

surely magic’s real, 

now the eyes

are open

*From prompt: Freewrite a quick 5 line poem exploring "I used to_ ... now_". From Suni Storm's Improving Your Performance (MOCA, Jacksonville), April 22, 2022.

Of Saint Germaine, Sheperdess (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 20, 2022, Bright Wednesday/Easter Wednesday (Holy Wednesday in Eastern Orthodox), feast day of La Dolorosa del Colegio and Saint Helen of Laurino (reminiscent of Saint Germaine Cousin), Saint Agnes of Montepulciano and Saint Sara of Antioch. On Jewish calendar continues Passover, and commemorates the passing (1772) of Rabbi Aharon ("the Great") of Karlin. Image from here.)

Saint Germaine, Shepherdess

(an ovine memoir)

We follow her to Mass too, you know. Bilocated spirit. We

like the incense, prayers. But mostly don’t want to be 

separated from her–-                                                                                                                                          

                                   hands  soft,

                                                       heart 

 

                                                                   so  

                                                                         much 

 

                                                                             Space,

 

                                                            her quill of rose

                                         

                                                     thorn worn smooth

                                          that pens this letter…

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Brad Aaron Modlin’s "On the Last Day of the Semester, the Library Is So Crowded with Raucous Historical and Literary Figures It’s Hard to Tell People Apart."; From Mindful Poetry Moments (NPR's On Being, and The Well), April 20, 2022.

Saying Grace (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, April 18, 2022, Bright Monday (Catholic)/Holy Monday (Orthodox), feast day of the Maximov Icon of the Mother of God, of the Holy House of the Annunziata/Annunciation, Our Lady of Gimigliana (modern apparition), the day indulgence was approved for visits to the Cathedral of Loreto, and feast day of Athanasia of Aegina (fascinating incident with star), Saint Marie of the Incarnation, Blessed Maria Anna Blondin, and Saint Anthusa of Constantinople.  On Jewish calendar continues Passover. Image from here.)

Saying Grace

Eyes up,

tiny bloom

before you sup.

Eyes up,

joy’s rain in cup,

for else no room.

Eyes up,

tiny bloom. 

*From prompt: after listening to some Triolet examples, write poem with Triolet  rhyme structure (when more familiar, can also incorporate its various meter structures); from Lynn Skapyack Harlin‘s The Triolet (MOCA, Jacksonville), April 18, 2022.