Reanimated Lavender Granola Switchblade Nun rides again.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Nickel & Rose

I would go to Mass, if I could be alone there
to love the dim light, the flowers,
and place a nickel in the plate, when the nickel is all I have.

We hang on our crosses,
hang around after death,
hang our hopes on a rose stem that bends and vanishes.

Here is a rose.
Here is a coin.
Here I am, tiny in this vast space.

I would go to Mass, if you would come with me.
If you would whisper to me that's it's all true,
and does not die--
the dogs I've had, 
the women I've loved,
and the men, too.

"Peace be with you."
"And also with you."
I think,
peace is overrated;
give me a dream about a nun's kiss
and a sacred heart that stays, like a nickel in a rose bower.
_____

139 words (so sue me) for Magaly's "Dearest Book, I Wrote You A Poem."

The book I wrote for is Robert Girardi's novel "Madeleine's Ghost."

Image at top: Maud Feely, 1910.

19 comments:

  1. Your closing imagery is particularly weighted (beyond a nickel) and memorable - a beautiful plaintiveness about the entire poem. Beautiful pic as well. k.

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  2. Shay--
    This poem is one of my favorites. However, I say that often about your writing.

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  3. With the universe of books so wide, more likely than not the reader won't have read the book the poet takes up in this challenge. So the book-love poem stands wholly on its own. The love of this book is clear, "as a sacred heart that stays, like a nickel in a rose bower." Peace is overrated; much better the best-turned sentence.

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  4. For me the second three lines are the most poignant; how we yearn and how we remember, even when life itself seems gone, when there's only emptiness. This is a beautiful post-love poem, Shay. We all have our own sacraments, and our nickels, however much more a heart that stays really costs.

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  5. I'm with Joy... Those last lines do something to the blood and soul, they leave the mind with thoughts that are all flesh and spirit and human want.

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  6. And, of course, I'm adding the book to my list...

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  7. This poem is truly EXCELLENT! Moving. Concise. wonderful. Nourishing. Mahalo

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  8. A gorgeous poem, my friend. It speaks to my heart and herstory.

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  9. This is so incredibly beautiful!💖 Especially love; ""Peace be with you." "And also with you." I think, peace is overrated; give me a dream about a nun's kiss and a sacred heart that stays, like a nickel in a rose bower." Beautifully executed!💖

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  10. I like the blasphemy woven into this piece. I think I need to read this book.

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  11. What a truly lovely poem. So full of the sacred (heart) and the nickels we have all put into offering plates - the widow's mite who gave all she had - If you would whisper to me that's it's all true,
    and does not die--
    the dogs I've had, 
    the women I've loved,
    and the men, too.
    I love this stanza. And the cats and the birds I've rescued and my mother who recently die. Indeed, this stanza cause me to weep.

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  12. This is so comforting. I have had similar feelings.

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  13. An intriguing evocation of the book (which I had not heard of before).

    I was thankfully not brought up Christian, but my Catholic cousins did take me to midnight mass one xmas eve, and I adored the pageantry.

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  14. I was mostly spared the burden of Lutheran upbringing, I saw enough what it would do in my father who wasn't.

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  15. My not knowing the book has allowed the poem to shine on its own and now I want to read it - it's written in my notebook!
    I particularly love the lines:
    'We hang on our crosses,
    hang around after death,
    hang our hopes on a rose stem that bends and vanishes'.

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  16. Aaaah, you have the fire in your blood, you want to hear your racing heart, feel the shiver on your skin, who can blame you *grin*

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  17. A soulful write. Well done

    Much 😍 love...

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  18. Excellent tribute! I love, in particular, these lines:

    ''We hang on our crosses,
    hang around after death,
    hang our hopes on a rose stem that bends and vanishes'.

    '"Peace be with you."
    "And also with you."
    I think,
    peace is overrated;
    give me a dream about a nun's kiss
    and a sacred heart that stays, like a nickel in a rose bower.'

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  19. This was haunting. Will search the book soon. Thanks.

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Spirit, what do you wish to tell us?