The Roast Beef Hour Cloth of cream China plate Crystal vases Decorate. Blossoms orange Mums of yellow Autumn eve A Sunday mellow. Sterling silver Piney vapor Scents the air From brass held taper. Dad and mom Sipping wine Roasting beef Upon we’ll dine. Chilly children Crunch on leaves Runny noses Wiped on sleeves. Whipped potatoes […]
Flame I tell you the trees were on fire Refulgent but never a flame, Ruby intense and a sulfur Lit from within by a name Like the halls of a palace of columns They lead to a room with a throne, Each with its top in the heavens, The arch of the spread of them […]
When I Confess Amidst unwonted dregs of transgress Where in this fetid pool suppress Both glint and virtuous finesse You stoop, plunge, and convalesce. Fr. Thomas Flynn, LC
The Great Trees Mid-summer and the woods are dry Soil on hillsides runs to sand, Ancient trees begin to die Unless their roots are deeper than the roots of Man Dry the season and the air Draws out the running where it ran, Beasts emerging when they dare Drink from what lies deeper than the […]
If her unrealistic body proportions weren’t enough of a controversy and reason for parental and feminist outrage, now Barbie has tattoos. Hang on–before you think Tattoo Barbie is going to be your daughter’s Must Have or Die Christmas Gift, don’t. Only 7,400 dolls were made and they’ve already been swooped up by “collectors”. And by […]
Angels at Play I see beauty in a vicious storm An enraged green sea suspended above Opposing winds churn and whirl the nimbus A strange fierce loveliness to behold After the storm, something uncommon Green gives way to a gold that glows On trees and fences and yards and homes Heaven’s light breaks through for […]
Light from Light The ruby throat in air defers, Presents his forehead to larkspur, Walks as Christ on Galilee, Weightless goes as so did He Receives the pollen as a grace, A Eucharist on beak and face, Floating sign and metaphor, Convey to us: receive, adore Blood of wine, flesh of wheat, Wing of angel […]
De Profundis Every Sacrament I could… Immersed my soul In graces good. Every penance That I uttered In fear and trepidation Shuddered. Every child I birthed in pain I offered Him So souls would gain. And now my soul In night won’t cease For you my prayers… De Profundis. Hilary M. Flanery
In What Way do you Know of Death? He said: There is no afterlife, no God I asked him for his date of birth His time of death He knew when he was born On the basis of authority For he did not have full sentience then But as for when he dies He says: […]
Chance I’ve heard some men of a wiser lot Assert the premise that all was naught; That man and woman, bird and beast Were plucked by chance, and by chance deceased. That life is chance, and a chance but one, So live it up before you’re done. But might I chance to question them, Haven’t […]
Why do I act shocked every time the stores pull out the Christmas merchandise before I’ve purchased Halloween candy (which has been sharing shelf space with the Back to School supplies since August)? Why do I let it gross me out year after year? I know it’s going to happen. But still…. I wandered into […]
Adoration A mass of people on a plain All those who live and ever lived Face the everlasting A plain of such immense extent That souls from the beginning to the end Will not fill it all Around them and behind them Refulgence of the everlasting Fills eternity We who faced the light-creating sun The […]
Harmonies of Heaven… Have you heard what Strauss has written of late? His ‘Space Odyssey’ just a Prelude To fresh scores Inspiration derived from heaven’s wonders Soaring melodies among celestial subjects Musicians of old performing for the banquets of paradise His harmonies now enchant the angels As they tend to their earthly charges Their graceful […]
Disrespectful Flesh As I walked along the river In the spate of rushing spring, I gave it voice and heard it lecture: You must die by summoning Man, remember you must die As I must hurry down to rest, The burning of the sun must dry My curvedness, so it confessed You and I must […]
The Luckiest Tree I am just a simple tree Though prouder you could never be, For near the outskirts of Bethany I hosted the Holy Family. Exhausted from their jaunting journey To Bethlehem town, by Caesar’s decree The woman with Child and husband, three Fleeing the sun sought me, sought me! That day still lurked […]
A Silver Fence A silver fence invisible A wedding couple will contain Although their rings perceptible Guard the fingers of their veins Christ the shepherd wedding guest Rings them in the sanctuary Where the Eucharist is blessed, The sheepfold of fidelity Rings of silver need require On the fingers of the heart Nothing round against […]
While loitering in a parking lot this past Sunday morning waiting for a store to open, I watched as car after car arrived at the local sports bar. Humans clad in red shirts with white numbers or white shirts with red numbers piled out and headed inside. Sports aficionado’s will immediately recognize those colors and […]
YES, I KNOW NOVEMBER (for All Soul’s Day) Yes, I know November The tolling of the bell, The whispers of the suf’ring souls From mountain top to dell. The chilly, gray, damp mornings The rusting of the leaves, The whispers of the suf’ring souls Like moans from one who grieves. And in the windy noon-time […]
For Jerry My Host laid down a carpet of the softest leaves, He gave me those to travel on, I was fatigued, If they not fallen then it would be hard To walk along that forest pathway heaven-ward – Mostly poplar, gold and rust, and then some red, Crimson sumac leaves on which the sun […]
Pierre’s Pockets The beginning of Wisdom Is Fear of the Lord, So Wisdom with age? I’ve seen no accord. So you’ve lived many decades Seen the world more than twice. But what have you learned? That sinners are nice? That sinners eat And sinners drink And sinners read And sinners think! And sinners have Sincere […]
ALL HALLOW’S EVE On All Hallow’s Eve Doth blow the leave Bare branches Bend down to the ground. Children believe And simply conceive There’s evil And it’s all around. So pumpkins all lit Trick or treat just a bit All costumed they Go through the town. They face with much wit Tell jokes that do […]
October Feast Day In the gold mouth Of the morning I knead the bread From wheat. Mix broccoli, bacon In wooden bowl Add raisins Sugared sweet. A Burgundy wine From His own grape Marinating beef Will seep. Then later boil Egg noodles, white Pile in a Buttered heap. Chocolate cake Oh what a gift Miraculous […]
Man’s Best Friend …for Octoberfest A man’s best friend If you please Is not a dog But cheddar cheese. A cheese whose taste Runs sharp or mellow Why cheese with beer Can help a fellow And make him look Like a handsome hunk When he passes some To a girl that’s drunk In the local […]
“Hey Ruth, your hair looks so cute!” Fiddling with her headband, Ruth’s weak, “Thanks.” sounded more like an apology. “I’m letting my bangs grow out so now this is about the only way I can wear it.” Five genuinely empathetic female heads turned towards Ruth to offer a combination of condolences, encouragement and hair taming […]
