Summer Cloister (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, August 25, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Rossano, Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Translation of the relics of Saint Hilda of Whitby (above) and feast day of Saint Louis IX, Saint Hunegund of Homblieres, and Saint Aebbe/Ebbe the Elder. Image from here.)

Summer Cloister

(feast day of Saint Hilda of Whitby)

It is the monotony of our lives which frees the spirit; 

all the imminent things drop away–-Mother Thekla, 

Monastery of the Assumption, Whitby

 

Feet long now, for a 

Nun’s slow steps, 

slow deliberate

slow watching 

slow noting the shift of sky.

Though on variable terrain (mind’s eye)

a measured step never minds. Never being 

too big to ponder and ever a road--

swept in welcome

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Sheryl St. Germain’s “Going Home: New Orleans”; from Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, August 25, 2022.

Regarding Wing Anatomy (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, August 4, 2022, feast day of Our Lady of Dordretcht ("The healing water soothes troubled minds, brings relief to aching brows and strength to weakened limbs, as Mary’s sick children come to her for aid"), Our Lady of Font-Romeu (Pilgrim Spring), and of Saint John Mary Vianney, Saint Ia of Persia, Blessed Ioan Balan, Blessed Cecilia Cesarini, and the "Seven Sleepers" of Ephesus. Jewish calendar today commemorates First Temple Invaded (423 BC), and the Three Weeks" of mourning continues. Image from here.)

Regarding Wing Anatomy

Man, like the bird, 

has two wings to fly: 

creativity and freedom

--Our Lady, to Angela Volpini

Lavender Fairy,

 

Sweet Pea Fairy, 

Candytuft Fairy, 

Heliotrope Fairy,

Blackthorn Fairy,

Apple Blossom Fairy,

neat deft paint, German 

plates of 1979-81. Sold to a

neighbor in 2001 so I can 

buy groceries: pasta, meatballs, 

ice cream. Aka

Esau’s porridge.

But that’s not what happened.

Knocked downhill by a heavy 

truck hauling furniture, leaves

nerve damage, complex neck injury, 

severe chronic pain. Aka not simply

whiplash. Newly reversed cervical curve,

radiculopathy down right arm. Disabled (ie 

suddenly no income). Family disbelieves, leaves 

to fend. Seasons continue regardless, 2001 now, 

apartment midst coyotes and Joshua trees, impossible 

to pay rent, future's terror stares--unblinking. And

a girl's gotta eat, if

nothing else.

But that’s not what happened.

1979-1981, limited issue. Mom and I

flying to the collectibles shop for each

release–-fragile plates (like their fairies’ 

wings.) Fragile joy, as summer dusk, 

winter moon sweeps us home. Our shared

room in Grandma’s house gains hidden 

sparkle–-fairy winks–-amid schoolbooks, 

Andrew Lang, roller skates. Out room’s 

door now, glow markedly diminished. But  

table beckons, lasagna, speak of school,

holidays, headlines. And new-fortified

for tonight’s swim, it’s splash!,

starburst, into silence. Soul wash,

invited wish. For what, I’d tell you-- 

but then it wouldn't come true. And I have

it on good authority, from those who 

won’t be banished,

Apple Blossom Fairy,

Blackthorn Fairy,

Heliotrope Fairy,

Candytuft Fairy, 

Sweet Pea Fairy,

Lavender Fairy,

            that it will.

*From prompt: Though is no formal prompt for this piece, I suspect that the Litany of Trust, recently discovered, stirred the waters...