The following is an excerpt from Jack Spring’s novel, The Rapture of Darkness. For more information about the book, please visit www.jackspring.com . CHAPTER TWO SILENT NO MORE “By my lively voice, I drive away all harm.” ~ Common Inscription, English Church Bells St. Patrick’s Catholic Church East Side, Honolulu, Hawaii […]
Miss Kim, For You Miss Kim, Miss Kim my hardy Lilac bush, Fragrant blossoms perfume not my garden this spring. A Southern summer singed your leaves, scorched your roots While acrid smells distracted my senses. Your fragile petals, confetti-like Fluttered to the earth, Butterflies your only lingering audience. Your nectar they miss, this season. The […]
Dawn in Gentle Breathing How lovely are the rooftops of the city While turning sleepers rest beneath the sky, Dreams that rise to scattered night clouds journey, Fragments of the grasped eternal fly Endless trains and ships of sail and motor, Pilots of the wings of morning steer, Those on foot contend with heavy weather, […]
Unforgettable This the day so long foretold The day of little light The day of justice lacking The day of man’s ingratitude The day of cowardice and fear This the day of torture and sorrow The day of darkness and death The day of horror and pain The day of weeping women The day of […]
Looking at the cover of Sons of Cain, by Val Bianco, will send a shiver through your spine. It’s a true Catholic thriller and a fascinating story of grand proportions. “Sons of Cain” grabs your very mind, heart, and soul, and refuses to let go. The prologue provides a stunning beginning to the story because […]
Who are They by the Cross on the Hill? “Look at the cross on the hill! Look! Two painstaking, glorious, deathly sad people! Go, ask them who they are. Maybe they can explain in full? “The standing one – that is Mary. Pay all your respects to her since she is now your mother. She […]
To Save the World by Cora Haefner, age 10 The Voice Bang! Lucy shut the door and ran up the stairs to her room. She took off her backpack and kicked off her shoes. It had been a long day at school, but it was the last day. Lucy sighed. Summer! Two months of swimming […]
In Which the Dead are Met I saw the man last night Perspective new, resentment gone We decided to be friends He died ten years ago But quarrels end As Christ walked through a door Though it was closed So all go out again Through rooms we have not seen before We do not end […]
Behold the Wood of the Cross I am the wood of the cross. A lone, dead cross beam I was chosen to be carried On the scourged back of the Savior of the World Bruising, crushing, burying in the dirt, Once, Twice, Three times The Son of Man Dead wood […]
Thrice Holy In the name of God ever-living . Father of swirling atoms, Quasars and supernovae . in the cool loam, creeping worms, Crabs a-scuttle in the surf . high trees with branches in low clouds, Man and the flesh of his flesh . woman with suckling babe. In the name of God ever-fertile . […]
Light of Day Sweet robin, rise, and sing a morning song. Your joyful noise invites the coming dawn to shine with you. Lift up your voice! The unknown day springs forth with hope! Carry on — carry on And sing your song at dawn. Carry on — carry on your cheery whistles your […]
My second oldest, Sebastian, always gets his older brother Ezra’s hand-me-downs. One day I was telling them that in heaven we won’t need our earthly bodies, but will get new heavenly bodies. Immediately, with a look of disgust, Sebastian said, “Am I just going to get Ezra’s old one?” -Drea, mother of 4.
Perception The cabin boy did his best As the wind tore at his clothes. The men said,”gods are angry, At whom, no one knows.” Awakened, Jonah stood there And he knew in his heart The Lord’s wrath for him Would cease if he departed. The boy prayed to his god But didn’t yet understand Why […]
“There’s trouble in Midgard again,” said the Watchman. “They need a Hero.””Very well,” replied the Director. “This is a job for Chase Hardrock.””But sir, Mr. Hardrock is out on leave.” “Balls. Send in Bob–from Accounting.” “Er. . . yes, sir.” And so, Bob from Accounting set out on his great Adventure. The Galleons had sailed when he came to the harbor, and he […]
An Ode to the Mystery of the Trinity God Holy Jesus Mary is their love Jesus Mary Joseph The family of the Dove Jesus Mary Joseph God is their love God the Holy Trinity Family from heaven above These five are untied Mater Pater Son Who shall ponder this mystery? Beyond us it shall run […]
God’s Grandeur The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared […]
Flowers in My Garden (by A Mother) Am I allowed to mourn my child who was never born? The one upon whom my eyes will never gaze, probably because of my advanced maternal age. Can I cry for you? You are a part of me. But you, you were to be Number Thirteen. The world […]
A Child My Choice Let folly praise that fancy loves, I praise and love that Child Whose heart no thought, whose tongue no word, whose hand no deed defiled. I praise Him most, I love Him best, all praise and love is His; While Him I love, in Him I live, and cannot live amiss. […]
To the 498 Spanish martyrs of the 1930s and all those who suffered religious persecution during the 20th century. The militia men shoved him out of his house, ready to make him the 499th martyr for some future beatification. Don Bartolomé let himself be pushed along, knowing that he had few hopes. Just the same […]
Agony in the Garden The ivory orb lit up the quiet garden, In the place where the young man prayed. He prayed for His mother and father And all the friends He had made. He remembered the wedding party With all the fun they had had, And when the last wine was served, Their response […]
One I Knew… One I knew Cursed death As if it were a figure in a hood A skeleton and scythe A visitor, a revenant A walker in the night The death you curse is death in you It wears your face It breathes the sour breath of rage And at the banquet of rejoicing […]
Moved by Grace When I was 32 days shy of nine, my parents moved us. Away from the brilliant green waters of Recife Away from Lourdes, who made the spongiest strawberry sponge cake And she could sew aprons and matching dresses too. They moved us away from the vast, tall green stalks of sugarcane fields […]
My children were really amusing me. And I mean that with the utmost sarcasm. “Who’s coming over?” one asked. “No one,” I said. “Then why are you doing that?” “What do you mean? I do this all the time!” I said. “Oh, we’re having company?” chimed in another. “No!” I said firmly. “Yeah, right. Who […]
In His Place VIII Women in your wayward weeping Shed the tears that I am keeping. Let them fall like droplets seeping For my sake and my safekeeping. Women with your balming tears Heal the rift of sin-filled years. Calm the restless, extinguish fears, Mend your lesser fortunate peers. Women let you droplets flow For […]
