Upon discovering it's not blue cheese –- it’s ice cream (WC)

  

(Wendy Cabell, originally from March 10, 2024, Rosh Chodesh (new moon) of Adar, feast day of Our Lady of the Vine/Oak, Saint Anastasia the Patrician of Alexandria and Saint Marie-Eugénie de Jésus. Image from here.)

Originally from 2024, revisited now in loving memory of my Mother

Upon discovering it's not blue cheese –- it’s ice cream (new moon of Adar, 2024) My Mom makes the best mint chip shakes. She doesn't use a blender, that ruins it. You have to mix it by hand to get that contrast of liquid and thick, one chasing the other as you sip — till the tummy is comforted, cool. Till my little brothers and stepdad make it a fivesome, we settle round the TV –- our storytime. God willing,

it's Little House On the Prairie, or Remington Steele or Different Strokes tonight. Though I’d even suffer through The Incredible Hulk or The Dukes of Hazzard for one of Mom’s shakes. Flown to too when a migraine looms, it works better than any pill. “I want you to eat this”, says Mom, so simply, small smile. No judgment. Her love stirred right in. Me at age 11 and anorexic, that mint chip shake –- it was the only thing could break through. As digestion now wanes, I replace it with goat milk –- piping hot no less. But it suffices. Mother’s milk by any other name being the same.

*From combined prompts: Think of a food memory you loved or hated as a child, who or what is associated with it, its sensory experience, and how you feel about that food now.  A meal that takes you right back. Then free write as inspired by Mary Karr’s The Art of Memoir (from Tresha’s Memoir Made Easy class, March 10, 2024) and Ted Kooser’s “Applesauce” (from Robin Nester (of The Poetry Salon)’s Generative Writing Class, November 25, 2023). 

[Info for November 25, 2023: Leavetaking of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple, and feast day of (above) Our Lady of the Rock, the Cyprus Icon of the Mother of God of Mercy, Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Imma of Würzburg. Image from here.]

Flying Lessons (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, published in Writers At Play Presents: Our Legacy, edited by Daisy Barrett-Nash, Equal Arts, 2022. Originally from September 8, 2021, feast day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and also of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God (and other Icons). Also the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the "head of the year" (first day here); as well as commemorating the (3760 BC) first very Shabbat on the seventh day of creation. Image from here.)

Originally from 2021, revisited now in loving memory of my Mother

Flying Lessons

(for my Mom, Jackie March... Angel-Mom, Sister, Friend)

 You can fly!

         You can fly!

         You can fly!

         --Peter Pan

 

The Wing’s the thing, unspoken mantra of my Mother -–

sorrow hidden, this her balm. There’s the spoken mantras too:

Okay, Baby Angels, we need a mini-miracle.

Let your Guardian Angel talk to his Guardian Angel, they’ll work this conflict out.

If you ever see a frown, do not let it stay,

as to this restless soul a feather's brush. 

Her hand on my forehead. Slow dawn 

of soft smile, knowing,

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. 

(Meanwhile, directions from Disney,

There it is... second star to the right and straight on till morning!

         

but digressing.) And remembering, night not so long ago. 

I’m on the bed resting, stretching. Phone nestled by ear. 

True confessions: Mom’s climb out of depression 

just noticing the littlest of things. Magic's glow

tween thank and you — it got her through. 

So now I’m telling you, floats her voice.

    If after wings, your blessings sing -–

             The Wing's the thing.

*“If you ever see a frown…” adapted from Daniel Taylor's "Smiles", “Angels can fly because…” from G.K. Chesterson’s "Orthodoxy", Disney quotes from "Peter Pan".

*”If you ever see a frown…” is paraphrased from Daniel Taylor’s Smiles. “Angels can fly because…” is quoted from G.K. Chesterson’s Orthodoxy. Disney quotes are from Peter Pan.

**From prompt: Ponder the life lesson(s) that have meant the most to you, the setting, teacher/characteristics, way lesson(s) imparted/aha moments, impact. Find striking lines, sensory detail, theme to repeat. From Daisy Barrett-Nash’s Legacy Poetry, July 28, August 4, and September 1 & 8, 2021.

Heart of Things (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, published in Come to the Table: Recipes for Loving and Serving, edited by Ched Johnson and Nancy Collins-Warner, Monastery of Saint Gertrude, 2021. Poem originally from October 31, 2020, All Hallow's Eve (eve of All Saints' Day), and feast day of Saint Erth of Cornwall (brother of Saint Ia). Image from here.)

Originally from 2020, revisited now in loving memory of my Mother

Heart of Things

This heartbeat 

pulsed DNA

knows where I'm from.

From Rosaries 

in pockets of aprons,

passed on from mother 

        to daughter.

From aprons in kitchens

made warm by flame

and good ol' potato soup.

From soup on tables

where rash words stole                

Grace that could 

have been. 

                                                                                                                         

I come from voices                            

held now as treasure,

         even so.

*From prompt, craft a poem inspired by Kim Moore’s My People; from Christine Valtners Paintner’s Listening At the Threshold: Voices of Saints and Ancestors (Abbey of the Arts, Galway), October 31, 2020.

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).

Mediatrix (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, edited January 2025, but originally from February 8, 2022, afterfeast of the (above) Meeting of our Lord in the Temple, feast day of Our Lady of Virtues, Our Lady of the Lily, Our Lady of Lourdes Uruguay, Saint Josephine Bakhita, Saint Elfleda of Whitby, Blessed Elisa Martinez, Blessed Esperanza de Jesus, Blessed Jacoba de Settesoli, Saint Kigwe, Saint Cuthman of Steyning, On Jewish calendar today is Moses' Birth & Passing, 1393 and 1273 BC. Image from here.)

Mediatrix

            a title of the Blessed Virgin

            as mediator of grace

            -- CatholicCulture.org

When in Mother’s arms

softened gaze.

She changes everything.

She changes everything She touches

and everything She touches changes

till diverge, emerge —  

ice to river, stone to sand 

so much simpler than before.

Not yet knowing what’s to be done, but

begun

*The above “She changes… touches changes” is  from pg 107 of Circle of Song by Kate Marks, being the chorus from Lauren Liebling and Starhawk’s Kore Chant. There are traditions in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox supporting Pagan faith/philosophy as anticipating Christianity, eg here (note The Sybil of Erythraea top upper left). It's not hard to imagine the anticipation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in chants such as the Kore chant. 

**From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by something in the etymology of mistake (I chose divergent). From Lisa Freedman’s BreatheReadWrite, February 8, 2022

Survivor (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, edited January 2025, but originally from March 20, 2022, Our Lady of Bołszowce, Our Lady of Calevourt, feast day of Saint Photini and Companions, Saint Gregory Palamas, Saint Cuthbert and Saint Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus. Image from here.)

Survivor

Whorling road its street signs bared,

re-Christened each pass of moon

was it so you could imagine a time

simply human again…

sunflower on the table 

steaming mug 

hands clasped

rising sun once more, then 

another —

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Shailja Patel’s ICC Kenya Trials. From Lisa Freedman’s BreathReadWrite, March 20, 2022.

World Seeks Mother (WC)

(Wendy Cabell, edited January 2025, but originally from August 26, 2024, feast day of Our Lady of Treille/Arbour, Our Lady of the Seven Arrows (softener of hearts), Our Lady of Częstochowa, Our Lady of Divine Grace, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the deliverance of Moscow from the Invasion of Tamerlane, the Virgin of Tenderness Icon of the Mother of God of the Pskov Caves, Blessed Jean Bassano (spiritual director of Saint Colette), Blessed Margaret of Faenza (spiritual student of Saint Humilitas and Saint Teresa of Jesus Ibars. Image from here.)

World Seeks Mother

A joyful heart is good medicine…

--Proverbs 17:22

On this all factions can agree:

We’ve had enough of sorrow

Mom’s touch is spacious as the sun —

Its warmth seeps in for tomorrow

The tune she hums it sweeps the heart

scoots shadows far and near

newsfeeds can rest, this one life --

more to it than fear

*Inspired by my Mom, ever ready with good medicine! And from prompt: free write as inspired by “Red Tights” by Danusha Laméris, Kim Malinowski’s Poetry Salon class of August 26, 2024. 

Earth-Muse (WC)

 

(Wendy Cabell, January 15, 2025, feast day of Our Lady of Banneux, (above) Our Lady of the Seeds, Saint Ita of Killeedy, Saints Salome of Ujarma and Perozhavra of Sivnia, Saint Cosmas the Melodist, Saint Placid, Saint Teath (daughter of Saint Brychan of Brecknock, Saint Tarsicia of Rodez (granddaughter of King Clotaire II of the Franks, and sister of Saint Ferreolus of Uzès), Saints Britta and Maura, Blessed Diego de Soto (Mercedarian). Image from here.)

Earth-Muse

Inbreath:

Say you weave, from earth’s inside

bud on the rise

Say a breeze, kisses soul first breath

Say you swoon, soft wake tug of moon

Say you spy, ever heed

Light of sun

Say a diamond, splits a rainbow

current sky

Say a ray, slides heartward –-

pushes pen

Outbreath:

Say, pushes pen

a ray — slides heartward 

Say current sky

a diamond, splits a rainbow

Say Light of sun

you spy, ever heed

Say tug of moon

you swoon, soft wake

Say first breath

a breeze, kisses soul

Say bud on the rise,

you weave -- from earth’s inside

*From combined prompts:  Freewrite as inspired by Audre Lorde’s “Poetry is Not a Luxury”, from Daisy Barrett Nash’s Legacy Lines series, January 15, 2025; and choose a poem of yours to refine (I chose above) by posing questions or hypotheses, as inspired by "The Conditional" by Ada Limon, and "Questions About Angels" by Billy Collins, from Tresha Haeffner (The Poetry Salon)'s Write Games, January 16, 2025.