Yes! No! (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, October 17, 2022, feast day of the (above) Purity of the Blessed Virgin (“Mary, Mother of God, you are the Virgin most pure because you are full of grace… You are full of grace, the Lord’s free gift and it overflows in you filling your soul with every virtue and perfection”), Our Lady of La Pampa, Our Lady of Milan, and of Saint Bonita Brioude, Saint Domna of Tomsk. On Jewish calendar, today is Hoshana Rabbah, the 7th day of Sukkot, which unfolds into Simchat Torah. Image from here.)

Yes! No!

(after Mary Oliver)

How important it is to walk along,

not in haste but slowly,

looking at everything and calling out

Yes to these honey wood walls, move round by touch.

No to a tendency to stockpile, now a bit too much. 

Yes to presiding Icons, their gentle nod. 

No to long list “Must Transcribe”, oddly silent. 

Yes to these honey wood walls just now

Yes

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by (and in this case writing after) “Yes! No!” by Mary Oliver; from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, October 16, 2022.

When born a wave (still am) (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, October 7, 2022 (heart/seed of the poem), feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, of the “Tenderness” Icon of the Mother of God, and of Saint Osith and Saint Pelagia of Tarsus. Revisited June 8, 2024 (Our Lady of Sunday, the Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother of God, Blessed Maria of the Sacred Heart, Saint Melania the Elder, and Chosen People 1313 BC). Further edited/revised  June 13, 2024 (Feast of the Ascension, 2nd day of Shavuot, Our Lady of Tears Fatima, Our Lady of the Cave, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Petka the New and Blessed Marianna Biernacka) and June 24 (Saint John’s Day, Pentecost Octave (Eastern Orthodox) and feast day of Our Lady of the Fjords). Image is of Puerto del Rosario, from private collection of Arvid van Maaren (used with permission) -- Viewing this lovely image spurred the memory shared.)

When born a wave (still am)

1. Venice Beach at dawn, May, 1992

Awaken. 

Everything else, it can wait. 

Stroll three blocks from this rented room.

Meet shock of sky, silk tide, with bare feet. 

Stash the blue dress by the rock –- and dive,

tote your lessons:

       - dip under, not over, a coming wave

       - infinite space here in which to glide

       - fellow rovers, they cruise in tandem 

       (though can’t see them),

2. there! down where sun resides –-

kind dolphins sweep below

ride their whisper tide

mend a path for moon to glow, she

                         sends her delegates:

                                              osprey

                                                      otter 

                                       golden goose

                                      

and shakes a few stars to settle 

into waiting heart, new

loose

*First half from combined prompts: Freewrite as inspired by Arvid van Maaren’s photo of “Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura”, and “Beaches. Why I Don’t Care For Them” by Wanda Coleman, from Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, October 7, 2022; later revisited/revised at Robbi Nestor's class of June 8, 2024 (“Roadside Attractions with the Dogs of America” Ada Limón) and Kim Malinowski'‘s class of June 24, 2024 ("Pineapple Sage" by David Rosenheim), with an eye to zeroing in on a favorite place (its sensory details and feelings it brings forth), while also subtly evoking someone who shared this place with you. Second half from prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Dick Altman's "Scenes From a Chalice of Waters/Victory, from Kim Malinowski’s class, June 17, 2024 -- her take on editing: “Revision will add creativity."