Home Economics (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, March 28, 2025, Our Lady of Castelbruedo, Virgin of Panecillo/Quinto, Our Lady of Mercy (Burgundy), Saint Gundelindis/Gwendolyn of Niedermünster (Niece of Saint Odilia of Alsace). Image from here.)

Home Economics

How do you feel poor, when cornbread wafts from the kitchen, or baked apples appear on your plate, or Grandma sews up matching red riding hood capes for you and your doll come Halloween eve. And mornings, they’d usually start with Mom’s Rise and shine, her kissed I love you.

Why are your friends always the wealthy ones in your class? It was Mom’s grade school lament. I didn't know what to say. Just friended those who liked what I did — book bingeing, slipping notes during math class, silly skipping down the sidewalk on the way to school. I didn’t feel the divide.

Till the day we studied the Great Depression. 

Best friend Grace’s light laugh, Well, my family wasn't suffering. She’d casually listed all the companies they owned. 

I’d remembered then, the stories told round our supper table. Great Grandma Otten forced to sell her restaurant, the one she’d pinched and prayed for, the one Great Grandpa Herman slaved in the ice mines for — led to his double pneumonia, her young widowhood. Mere manager now, she’d quietly tuck away customers’ leftovers, to give her six kids their one meal a day.

Grace, she’d go on to be a pediatrician. Me, I’d teach preschool, get hit by a truck as I crossed the street one Fall, early disabled. 

And life now, it’s midst medicines, treatments and assistance can’t afford, it’s living in this 60’s travel trailer. Though these walls of hers have made it, through hurricane winds, tree limbs through the roof, near misses with wildfire and flood. Spirit Bear Abbey, we call our home. She’s made it this far, thanks be to God. 

And so have I. 

eve’s candle, stars, we sip

sage tea, Joseph’s benediction —

I love you too

*From combined prompts: freewrite as inspired by excerpts from “I Am Never Not Thinking About Money” by Kasim Ali, “Economics at Gemco” by John Olivares Espinoza, and “Money” by Philip Larkin. From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, March 28, 2025. 

My cousin tells me our family loves Mary cause She gets our quirky femininity (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, March 16, 2025, feast day of (above) Our Lady of the Life Giving Spring and Saint Jean/John de Brébeuf, Jewish calendar today commemorates Rebuilding of Jerusalem Wall Begun (c. 41) and 3rd day of the "Triple Purim". Image from here.)

My cousin tells me our family loves Mary 

cause She gets our quirky femininity

Well, Blessed Mother, You’ve seen what we do.

We economize, embalm our departed on the kitchen table,

heartened by candleabra’s glow.

We adopt our grandkids, stack Pampers by the Geritol

to give young Moms a break.

We angel up remote ranches and travel trailers,

serve porcupine meatballs, twice baked potatoes.

When forced to sell our restaurants, we negotiate, 

stay on as manager.

You, Mary, Who gave birth in a stable, blessed atop dolman stones*, 

calm requested that water turn wine —  We know You understand. 

We stop time midst any bustle, yes today --

Hand to apron, find Rosary beads…

* Our Blessed Mother’s “quirk” of blessing atop dolman stones is a reference to Our Lady of Le Puy, Our Lady’s first apparition after her passing, which involved a prehistoric dolmen, see here. 

**Above piece was inspired by layers of family history, as shared by family members over time. Most recently inspired by cousin Maureen, who in response to my question, So why is it, you think, all the women in our family are so devoted to Mary?, replied: She’s the one woman who understands our quirky femininity.

***From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by “If They Should Come for Us” by Fatimah Asghar, from Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite Studio time, March 16, 2025.

When Entangled* (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, composed sometime in February but gathered March 3, 2025, Beginning of Great Lent, feast day of Our Lady of Miracles, Our Lady of Angels, the Volokolamsk Icon of the Mother of God, Saint Non of Wales, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Teresa Eustochio Verzeri, Blessed Concepcion Cabrera de Armida. Further edited After Pope Francis' passing on Bright Monday April 21, piece was further edited on Bright Thursday April 24 (also Molcha/Molchensk/Ladder Icon of the Mother of God, and passing of Patriarch Joshua). Image from here.)

When Entangled*

(for Pope Francis)

Come from the four winds, O breath,

and breathe on these slain,

that they may live -- from Ezekiel 37:9

Seeds fallen among thorns. 

Bills and bicker, borders...

                    

Be simple, 

Our Mama says, 

                 breathe...

Love -- extraordinary bloom -- needs time, needs space,

bed, chair, glow-table, hands across.

A few words: Sorry. Thank you. Please...

Everything else is secondary.

*A cento-esqe poem inspired by all the sources linked to above (Matthew 13:7 and Our Lady of the Thorns, Our Lady of Mercy/Pellevoisin, André Frossard, Pope Francis, 2 Kings 4:8-11, and again Pope Francis, respectively). Most notably inspired by the following quotes from Pope Francis (Amoris Laetitia/The Joy of Love):