Memory of Water - April 26, 2007

Prayer for Departure

It was yesterday in the early afternoon light

I held your hand closely in mine, the rosary beads 

draped between our hands - together, passing 

from one bead to the next, 

Hail Mary, full of grace, 

flavoring the room - a balm;

breathing in deeply all that is. 

The Lord is with thee 

ninety-five year old vesseled spirit 

with staccato breath. 

Blessed art thou among women 

emptying with each exhale in the 

lengthening pauses 

of 

nothingness. 

The tide leaves the shore; 

each wave withdraws deeper 

into the sea. 

Blessed is the fruit of thy womb 

a vessel made of red earth and chile; 

once strong legs, a blackening blue

as you take your leave 

no longer needing them. 

Ticket in hand, you turn away, 

look at the clock, see that it’s time, 

and move toward the gate that reads 

‘Departures’. 

Holy Mary, mother of god, 

water pouring into its source, 

the vessel empties, 

the breath rests, 

and this time -

does not 

return. 

Pray for us sinners.

The red-brown clay dries, crumbles... 

returns to the earth, 

now and at the hour of our death, 

as you leave, 

a breeze 

rejoining 

the 

wind. 

Amen

A Fool's Lucky Seven

Seven Foolish Years ago was the first of two relapses of the non-Hodgkins lymphoma I share the premises with and is now a teenager of 13 years old. Seven years ago I’d just begun chemo coinciding with April Fool’s day and Patti Smith igniting a flame in me with a song of the same name. My oncologist had instructed me to avoid crowds in my compromised immune state — but it was the Festifools Parade - and in my waaay altered state I wanted to be there - not on the sidelines, but in the parade! Being in the parade in the mysterious mask of an old man, I was driven to seize the moment, one old guy’s face protecting another's marching forward.

Seven years later of much foolishness and the seemingly impossible, I’m still here, still foolish, still not taking the impossible for granted. Seven added years of delightfulness, hard times, good times, and everything in between — the whole buffet of living and loving in its fullness every day.

Ain’t no place like here. Good to still share it with you all - even on the bad days, maybe especially on the bad days.

Home movie: https://youtu.be/sRVUHINrZiM