Mary's Joy

A Poem from The Snow Bridge, Selected Poems of Kathryn Forrester
Poet Laureate Emeritus of Virginia

Copyright 2004




From The Five Sonatas:

V.

If I give you gifts; a white, fringed scarf
in winter, or a loaf of bread, take them,
freely, into your house and let them be useful
or let them not,

only keep them, so I might imagine walking
solitary on some inclement evening, to come upon
you suddently in the snow, and see drawn tight
around your collar, my handiwork

and you, holding out your hands, tell
me to walk beside you to a pleasant inn
where near some hearth, at your feet, I

await the sound of crusts, the fragrance
of broken bread and you ever-benificent arms
stretched downward toward me, my blessed portion gained.

*******

Thoughts on seasons:

Even as summer officially begins, I long for winter's hearth,
my very dependency on God's warmth and Love so ardently apparent as
the temperature drops and the days grow shorter.



We are to be like children in God's sight, are we not?

Isn't this Mary's Joy? That in our utter desperation and human frailities, we
see in each other the One Who came to us as a Christmas Child?

I am so grateful for those who share from their abundance that which others are most in need of.

This is Mary's Joy, seeing compassion in action spread like flames of a winter's fire.
At His feet, and humbly in service to others, we experience God's love.

Some people long for summer.
Others take joy in remembering the magic of a warm winter's hearth.

Should our hearts not also be like this? Warm, approachable, useful?

This is why even in summer I dream of sleighs rushing over snow white bridges,
bells of angels calling us home.
Christ risen, "Khristoss Votress", in every language and in every heart.



I am so grateful for Parish and Teachers,
friends and family, faith and hope.
Children, grand-children,
brethren all around us.

And so I wish you all




Blessings!
Kathryn

June 27th, 2007