Artful, Colorful, Alive

It is a pleasure to have words before me as a potter has clay. I passed a glorious hour and a half this afternoon lost in my attempt to shape the vocabulary that had poured onto the page. Matching syllables, sounds, ideas, testing out the rub of words together… And then I thought about a…

Things are Beginning to Bloom

After Reading Poetry in the Springtime My office, the satchelboldly slungacross passionate, thought-filled,writerly me. My desk, the tableon an uneven floor,tucked into the corner,though facing the world! My muse, the Spirit,swim-dancing in womenand men and the wholeof what fills my senses. My joy, to sing outwith pen in hand, Amen!Bring on love and lifein abundance,…

Easter, 2008

Alleluia! Lifting arms bedeckedwith prismatic sequins,droplets of joy froma rain of tears,I bow and breathe deeplyin the fresh garden glory of diaphanous petalsopen to taste new Spring, I dance with creationto the music of birth! ©MperiodPress

Mutual Iconography

On Friday of this past week I had a chance to preside at a Lenten Reconciliation service at my parish. It was a most intriguing experience, actually. People asked afterward– how was it?? How did it go?? I can say this– People approached me afterward and spoke of how moving and meaningful they found it;…

Mini Memoir

Friend heard NPR piece: six word memoirs.Same friend challenged.Result:Writer, ruminator, passionate knower, encountering God. Now, you?

Primordial Language

I was at a meeting this weekend when the term “primordial word” came up while speaking about the heart. “Heart” is one of those images, those words, those concepts, those symbols, that, for lack of a more technical term, twangs us inside. This idea, that there are those innate concepts/images that evoke such a manifested…

In the Bag

A simple list to tell you something about me… What’s in my bag? I dumped it the other day and took inventory. My daily journal notebookA draft and observation notebookA collection of cryptic crossword puzzlesA collection of Pablo Neruda poetryA Bic Accountant fine point pen A letter from a friendCarmexEyedropsA cloth bandanaMy father’s leather card…

Of Late

The week before last was a challenging one at work. The most challenging, in fact, in several years. It was not pleasant, not fun, and above all, tiring. Sunday came and I argued with myself as I began waking up in the burrito of blankets my bed had become… to go to liturgy or to…

Harmonious Unity

Harmonious Unity Mine are the heavens and mine is the earth*- all that is seen and unseen.Mine the Word that darkness shall never overcome,And the angels, and the Mother of God , Mystical Rose, who prays for us now and at the hour of our death. The elephant, eagle, platypus, and daffodil—mine.Mine the Wisdom who…

Home, Caffeinated Home

I ended my workday today by going to a coffee shop that magically appeared to me sometime before Christmas during a major downpour. For a variety reasons, that afternoon I was walking home instead of taking a bus. While under an awning enjoying a respite from rafting, I noticed a sign advertising “Coconut Coffee and…