After all/the waning days of summer/at hand/we lean to the very edge/peer over/new season/of change/promised land of mercy/be not afraid/with you/with you/with you/mantras galore/settle into the deep/watery/anguished/ tender parts of me/the bruised edge of me/you know who/and I don’t know where/drink tea/oh so politely/waiting for the scones/fresh from the ovens/furiously crochet the jaggedly/separate/mismatched tea towels/back together again

Like distant ancestors/I call these waters/home/not knowing/how many survived/how many would jump/rather sing the deep/how many were so strong they lived/gathered strength from somewhere/to live/parent/shape the life/ that shaped the life that/shaped my life/saints invisible/call me from the deep/energy of life and faith/I name you no longer nameless ancestors/I name you too strong to die/too human to be dehumanized/guardians of your own choices/ to be free/

This was the view from my window/once/my chair lived with the rising and setting/like a watercolor picture show/I don’t miss/or regret/simply breathe/in the consciousness/that I have been so blessed/surrounded by the majestic beauty/so much more than I ever imagined/I just breathe/every breath a love song

Something to be said/for counting sunny times twice/the weight of decay and loss/halved by the company/we keep/we treasure/storing up sunny measures/with eventide the shadow advancer of our journeys/we spin fire and dance

What is in a name/a heritage/a legacy to carry/a choice to embrace/a beauty to bear banner like/into every starved and parched moment/a name to wear loosely/none more fitting/than child of God

There were these episodes/Lassie was finding homes for/giving away her puppies/I would run away crying/hide among my mother’s controlled chaos sewing room/the one mysterious temple/we could not approach/ I huddled with bric a brac/vogue patterns/simplicity and mcCall/I watched myself sob in the floor length mirror/pain oddly displayed and shared/until resolved/episode over/arms held me/ voice whispered/ someday/ someday/you will want a place of your own/shhh/shhh/someday/a long time away/and not yet

From that day to this/some official responsibility clothed us in/mother daughter garb/the final shedding taken place/such a mundane end/no more health insurance bond/permission still to pry and nag/you are grown and strong/what remains is the glowing garment of love/this immortal receiving blanket will ever enfold us/with no limit/no sunset/now get your flu shot

This is a prayer/for teachers/all over the world/a prayer for safety/a prayer for high expectations/a prayer for love as you love your own children/ loved ones/a prayer for a high calling/bigger than a profession/more meaningful than a paycheck/you save lives/you shape futures/I want to say thank you/put a hedge of Gods protection around you/infuse you with the energy of creativity/imagination and love/I wish I could send/each teacher in the world a special gift/we can/we all can/start now

Blessed rain anoints/parched welcome given/tempts the soul/to dance face up/to the warm rain/to the tune of birds calling/squirrels huddling/quick lizards flicking/green/across grainy bark/and the timpani of thunder/crescendo over/resolves in sweetest rainfall/night falls cooler/like the benediction/we go forth in joy

Mum had a way/of teaching kindness by example/we stood on city buses for any aged passengers/said please and a name/corrected sharply/with a look/words if necessary/she’s the cat’s mother/oh/that meant/use her name/ final life lessons were brave/extravagant lashings of love/and Irish humor/ya wanna hear a joke/as she/um Mum/lay propped up in her bed still wielding her needles and yarn/gifts still meant to be given/and late into the long nights she/um Mum/studied the joke books she/um Mum/kept at hand/to soften our days/knowing her work/done well/was almost done