To lean towards Love (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 16, 2025, Sunday of the Prodigal Son, feast day of Our Lady of the Thorns (burning bush), Our Lady of Sajópálfala, the Weeping “Tikhvin” Icon of the Mother of God, Saint Mariamne the sister of the Apostle Philip,  Blessed Bernard Scammacca, Blessed Filippa Mareri. Image from here.)

To lean towards Love: 

forgiveness

patience

joy

says today’s homily.

Our local centenarian’s twist: 

Walk on the beach. 

Work hard. 

Be kind.

*From prompt: Free write as inspired by “Trying” by Ada Limón.

From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, February 16, 2025. 

Mother’s Nature (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, February 10, 2025, feast day of (above) Our Lady of the Doves, Our Lady of Kurešcek, the Areovindus (Fire-appearing) Icon of the Mother of God, Saint Paul shipwrecked, Saint Scholastica (soul ascended as dove), Princess Anna of Novgorod, Saint Caedmon, Saint Merwinna, Blessed Eusebia Palomino Yenes. Image from here.)

Mother’s Nature

Years, footsteps up the mountain — my song dims.

Pansy’s song still wakes the Sun, Stars tuck the Moon. 

Man’s Best Friend, muscles in motion, keeps beside me.

Clockwork instinctive. Steady. 

Brims, brushes Sky with praise.  

Me, I have to remind myself to pray come eve. 

To down the pen, walk over to my Joseph. 

To let hands touch, heart humm. 

I know it wants to. 

I know the owls begin their watch,

the jasmine blooms. 

“Put your hoe down” Joseph tells me,

“work is done”. Or even if it isn't, 

night’s music has begun...

*Inspired by Mom's relationship advice: "Now here's what I want you two to do when you start to fuss. Just take a minute. Hold each other's hands. Look into each other's eyes. And say I love you.". And from prompt: Write about a struggle trying to connect with the non-human. From Tresha Heaffner’s Write Games (the Poetry Salon), February 10, 2025.

Sky-True (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, January 28, 2025, feast day of Our Lady of the Green Scapular, Our Lady of Succor, the Totemsk-Sumorin Icon of the Mother of God, ("consolation after the loss of loved ones; strengthening of faith"), Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig, Blessed Olympia Bida, On Jewish calendar today, Rebbetzin Chana (mother of the Lubavitcher Rebbe) born (1879). Image from Joseph MacRae, horizontal Angel we saw in sunset 1/23… feels like a blessing.)

Sky-true

(Grandma Dee’s version of Disney's “When You Wish Upon a Star”,

Sometime 1970’s)

“Grandma, are they singing fate there, or faith?”

“Well, I’m not sure. But if it isn't faith, then it should be”

Like a bolt out of the Blue

Faith steps in and sees you through

When you wish upon a Star

Your dreams come true

Voice of Home, I listen (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 18, 2025, eve of Theophany/Epiphany (old calendar Orthodox; related image above), Our Lady of Dijon, Our Lady of Zapopan (ten years after Our Lady of Guadalupe), Saint Margaret of Hungary,  the young Martyrs of Salerno, Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce and Saint Dicuil. Image from here.)

Voice of Home, I listen

close my eyes.

Joseph bear ambles in the kitchen, growls.

I remind him he’s human too.

Oatmeal simmers, gurgles.

Paws swish — swept table. Time for tea. 

Jars of fennel, honey, raspberry leaf

slid from cupboards so deftly arranged.

Heart thumps, growls contentment. 

These miracles -– 

            uuuumm, in progress. 

**Inspired by Joseph's poem, "Voice of Earth Mother" (from prompt: Audre Lorde’s “Poetry is Not a Luxury”, Daisy Barrett Nash’s Legacy Lines series, January 15, 2025).

Morning, September 11, 2024 (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, September 15, 2024, afterfeast of the Elevation of the Cross, feast day of Our Lady of the Way of Leon/Our Lady of Camino (related Cathedral images here, here), the Our Lady of Sorrows/Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (above) Novonikḗta Icon of the Mother of God, Saint Catherine of Genoa and Saint Oranna (deaf, hearing miracles). On Jewish calendar today Nachmanides (Ramban), 1194. Image from here.)

Morning, September 11, 2024

“I love it when they show stages like this” I say. Joseph smiles over the hanging garden he’s brought in. Being homebound with chronic injuries, neurological disorders, sure miss my nature walks, their sweep to soul. I cup an early flower – thrilled to find this gate to our wet wild earth. Such a shy little bloom. Yet she bears a crown, mini star-buds all in a ring. A later stage flower bursts layer upon layer of petals. 

my country, tis for thee –

rowed petals unfurl as stripes 

stars glow their patch of sky

*Freewrite as inspired by “Lacrimosa” by Traci Brimhall. From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, September 15, 2024. yest

On Unitive Force (WC)

  

(Wendy Cabell, August 28, 2024, feast day of the Dormition of the Mother of God (old calendar), (above) Our Lady of Kiev, Saint Anna the Prophetess, Saint Agnes of Cologne (companion to Saint Ursula), Saint Junipero Serra, Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Joaquina Vedruna Vidal de Mas, Several Martyrs in England and in the Spanish Civil War, Saints Theodora and her daughter Theopiste, Martyr Susanna, Queen of Georgia. On Jewish calendar today is Hasmonean Holiday (circa 100 BCE) (Hellanist secular law replaced). Image from here.)

On Unitive Force 

Love grows, generates [plant soul]. 

Love senses, enjoys [animal soul]. 

Love transcends, understands [human soul]. 

Love moves all things…

–adapted from minervawisdom.com, 

“Aquinas on the Levels of the Soul”

1. The Maize’s Tale Up, out -- blade, ear, grain. Love Herself tends, brings map: one pure and magic Land. And our seed, so vale-familiar finds! a Heart Who understands, finds! a Heart Who understands. 2. The Lioness’ Tale She spots movement across the plains, soft blink of a golden eye. Neighbor’s cub it turns out. The lioness turns towards. There'll be jubilation, no doubt, upon the little one’s return –- to the warm and welcoming fur of her Mother, to the warm and welcoming fur of her Mother. 3. The Author’s Tale (Portland, Oregon, 2006) Once volcano, we hike mount’s rim. A hawk circles. Draws us in. Onto library, spot ancient lore grants us passage, most kindly Shore grants us passage, most kindly Shore –-

*Inspired by Radcliffe Hall’s oft ignored Christianity and Catholic faith.

**From combined prompts: Free association around various words, and freewriting as inspired by Radclyffe Hall’s “Tramping Poem” and “Tradition”. From Daisy Barrett-Nash’s Legacy Lines (Writers at Play), Summer, 2024.

Spark-seek (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, August 19, 2024, afterfeast of the Dormition, Super Blue Moon, feast day of (above) Our Lady Star of the Sea, Australia, the Don Icon of the Mother of God, Matriarch Sarah, Saint John Eudes, . Image from here.)

Spark-seek

(for the Afterfeast of the Dormition, and Super Blue Moon, 2024)

            Joy is holy. That's why the world is so sad. 

            There is no joy outside of the Living God.

             –Father James Blout

My daily declutter-reminder to Joseph: The floor is not storage space.

Spying the half full bag of white cheddar popcorn he left out on the table, 

now we’re talking. Or rather munching

and thinking about last night’s full moon. “You have to come out ~right now~” he said,

no time for my sweater, or decision. 

So worth it. Clouds hold an angel, then a mantle outstretched. 

Moon reappears out of a newly formed heart.

“Let’s go inside right now”, I whisper,  

heart’s soft solidity, beats and billows, still in view.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by "Please Call Me By My True Names" by Thich Nhat Hanh, being super specific to you/this time and place; from Kim Malinowski’s Poetry Salon class of August 19, 2024. 

For the feast day of Our Lady of Medugorje/Grace, June 25, 2024 (WC)

 

                                                   

(Wendy Cabell, June 25, 2014, Postfeast/Octave of Pentecost, feast day of Our Lady of Medugorje and (above) Our Lady of Grace (Our Lady of the Bowed Head). Image from here. "The words ‘Monstra te esse Matrem’ (Show thyself to be a Mother) are traditionally added to every copy of the image. They are taken from the hymn Ave Maris Stella.")

For the feast day of Our Lady of Medugorje/Grace, June 25, 2024

Our Mother entreats us pray

for peace in heart-home-world

while mind she tries to forget 

her squabbles with Joseph this morning

while soul she winks, whispers: 

A Mother will understand

*From prompt: Free write as inspired by “We Never Stop Talking about Our Mothers” by Daniely Antigua. From Lisa Freedman's BreatheReadWrite, June 25, 2024.

Unfinished (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, April 14, 2024, feast day of Our Lady of Kamalen/Guam, Blessed Virgin of Grace (Italy, Robegano district apparition, 1534; somewhat related image above), the Vil'na Icon of the Mother of God and Saint Lydwina of Schiedam. Image from here.)

Unfinished

task (n.): from Latin tasca, “ a duty, assessment”

Joseph’s boat (see it just out back window, his tools tossed round nearby) Seeds as yet planted, lying out front door here on the porch My schedule needing weeding A partially filled commemoration list, prayers for the living and departed (shouldn’t this be topping the list?) Yet to be covered books Snoozed emails Jumbled papers Crowding in my head Paintbrushes patient, nudging My arms, they need s o m e b r e a t h i n g s l o w f i l l b u o y a n t -- m o s t

w e l c o m e b a l l o o n

*From prompt: Free write as inspired by “My Sister, Who Died Young, Takes Up the Task” by Jon Pineda, and the etymology of “task”. From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, April 14, 2024.