Herself A Rose Who Bore The Rose Herself a rose, who bore the Rose, She bore the Rose and felt its thorn. All loveliness new-born Took on her bosom its repose, And slept and woke there night and morn. Lily herself, she bore the one Fair Lily; sweeter, whiter, far Than she or others are: […]
Morning Sigh A sigh of longing A sigh of love A sigh bidding to my side The Lord above. Breathe in the Spirit. Breathe in that Holy Ghost. Breathe deeply in the morning The God of hosts. Joann Nelander Copyright 2013
Medusa Medusa slain by Perseus, To gaze would turn a king to stone, Revolting head with eyes of glass The face it showed you had to own It showed the one you really were, Schemes, evasions, lies exposed, And this the horrid power of her: Severed head, the truth of those Still the mirror shows […]
Soon Child in your mother’s womb, She grows with you, and I, the watcher, wait. Speaking without touching, I do not see you, but you are Wondrously full of beauty. Hoping you know my voice, It is not hers, not yet all around you. For now, “I love you” in my words out here, Wanting […]
With bluster, ink, and bray. Lawyers five, get their way. Out with God; in with sex drive. Salute Sodom; so they connive. Let them preach right prim of legality, That man’s law must be obeyed. But ‘tis base to bow, when reality Has the highest law betrayed. T’would be wrong to supersede, Against authority properly […]
A Spoken Word Poem by Fr. Pontifex (God is Dead: This video is in response to the claims of the “New Atheism.”…Science and reason are not incompatible with faith in fact they complement each other very well because they come from the same source, God. )
…But Sure as Shootin’ He Reined Me Up! I am of the Lord for He has called me I am of the Lord for He sought me out I am of the Lord for I heard Him calling I am of the Lord for I turned to listen There is naught within me that is […]
A Spoken Word Poem by TJ Burdick (Vox et Veritas- The Best line Never Mentioned in Scripture)
WonderLove When I softly sing a lullaby alone to you, I wonder if in heaven you can hear. When I whisper that I love you love you now, I wonder if you’ll ever want me near. When I try to touch your tiny cheeks and hands, I wonder if in heaven you can feel. When […]
Child of the Cross Mother Mary, Witness of the Passion, Suffering witness, Living the Passion, As your Jesus Hung on the Cross. Pray, Mary. Pray, My Mother, Pray for me, Who am so scattered, Distracted and disengaged. Pray every moment Of my life here on earth, That I be prepared for suffering, That I be […]
Through the fence, carefully without touching it, she watched as so many friends, their bag in one hand their Certificate in the other, walked through the gate and boarded the bus. Not one of those open-windowed broken-down yellow oven-like hulks that had brought them to the “Happy Land” site, but new ones, cool with closed windows […]
Of Course the Rain- Psalm 29:9 Everything has its own voice, its own story, even this grey day long winter rain. For today, even at mid day the sky lay like a heavy regret, thick and leaden and unyielding with its threnody of thunder echoing in the heavens. Of course this rain has its own […]
Polka Dotted Women Polka Dotted Women. Patiently enduring. Polka dots pasted Over holes, Over dreams dissolved, Over a soul. Polka dots, pink, Distract me, you, Her. Pink polka dots Pinpoints of love Splashed across Her. From me, you, Him. Holes filled with memories: Love well lived. Well loved women. Love lives on through Polka dotted […]
What is My Calling? O Father, my heart cries out to you, And yet it is as though you don’t hear me. Why, O my God, does this burden rest upon me? Of what merit will it be for my salvation? I ask O my God that you reveal to me Your will. What is […]
Alpha and Omega Lord be the alpha and omega Of my moments this day. Be the beginning and end O my every thought, inclination and desire, The motus primo primi Of my life. Joann Nelander
Prostitution Politics I live in a brothel, But I am not a whore. Personally opposed to impurity, I’m chaste to the core. I help with the auctions, But no slaves are mine. Opposed to such servitude, I try to be kind. Working at Auschwitz, Folks arrive every day. Personally opposed to holocaust, What else can […]
This This, only this is truly necessary. An outdated wooden crucifix in a forgotten sacristy corner, my forehead pressed to the nail-pierced feet reducing ten thousand things to one. A simple act that clarifies. Calling, inviting – I come. This single act making me one. Scott Warren
When I came to, I was on my back on the floor of my accountant’s office. “What happened?” I said. “When I told you how much you owe, you went down like ton of bricks,” said my accountant. “I owe the IRS again? But I set aside money every quarter!” “How many times do I […]
Maybe No Dyin’ Today Don’t feel much like walkin’ today. Don’t want to do that hill. Dad, let this pass now and Maybe tomorrow I will. Walkin’s gotta be over now, But look on up this hill. Don’t want no more pain today. Maybe tomorrow I will. This really hurts like hell, Each step up […]
A King, A Victim, A Priest A king, A victim, A priest, A king accused, A victim scourged, A priest condemned, A king crowned and robed, A victim beaten and humiliated, A priest on the altar of the Cross, O Anointed One, O Crucified One, O Holy One, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. […]
The old grocery store in my neighborhood is closing next month. Boy, does that make me sad. The family-owned store has been a staple in our community for more than 50 years. Its simple, spartan interior is a snapshot into the past, the way grocery stores were in the ’60s and ’70s — like the […]
Quietly Sitting in Adoration “Go to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and simply let Him Love you” St. JohnPaul II Kneeling or Quietly sitting in Adoration Yielding and passive and prayerful- there is that. Yet, so much is astir For with the faintest, softest “Yes” He comes to you! His heart bursting with love Radiating […]
