Archive for the ‘Celebrations’ Category

Dear family and friends

“Let the little Child Come!

I, as a little child came to you, was within you

Living and loving from your mother’s womb.”

This is not hard for us to believe if

We trust that our God is creator, lover, guide.

In all creation and in the stages of our lives

There is a model and mirror of our God and

We join Jesus who says,

“Let the child come to me.”

Those who dream let them come.

Let the strong and healthy, the sick and wounded,

The elders and their care givers,

Let them all come-

Running, dancing, limping, being pushed along”

Because all are invited to

The birthday party of Jesus.”

Loving thanks to each and all of you

For your friendship over the years.

Little Miss Doctor makes her rounds. She checks wrist pressure and ears, then announces “No ear monkeys.” All are relieved, especially Sister Kate.

Padre Junipero Serra

Here is my servant in whom I am well pleased.”Isaiah: 42:1-4 

Serra was 34 years old when he left a sought after professorship at the Llullian University in Palma, the capitol of Spanish Mallorca. He was a brilliant and extremely well read Franciscan friar. Junipero studied Aristotelian philosophy and held the chair of Scotistic Theology at the University named for Ramon Llull, the great theologian, missionary and friend among the Muslims in the late 13th century. In other words Junipero was on the progressive side of theological studies with a blossoming career before him. At that moment Serra headed out from Mallorca to the Missions of New Spain. Martyrdom was not uppermost in his mind. According to his student, life-long friend in the Missions, and Serra’s first biographer, Padre Francisco Palou, Serra felt the call to the missions as a path to spiritual renewal. He had a burning passion to baptize gentiles, children and their parents, bringing them through water and the Spirit into Christian life. As Jesus said to the Apostles: “Go out and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Matt. 28:19

Miguel Josep, his baptismal name, was born into a poor family in the village of Petra on the Spanish island of Mallorca, a small island with great vistas, as a center for cartography and trade with the Muslims of Southern Spain and North Africa. He learned farming and animal husbandry from his father which would stand him well in his later years as president of the missions of Alta California. His early schooling was with the Franciscans and later at the Franciscan novitiate in Palma. At profession he chose the name Junipero, after the beloved companion of St. Francis of Assisi. We have four of his sermons to the Clares of Palma, recently translated from Catalan into English. His words are tender and loving as he speaks of a merciful God to tlhe Clares and others who came to hear him. Junipero was small of stature and in his preaching he was dynamic, articulate and sweet.

Junipero earned a doctorate in theology and held the chair of Scotistic theology at the Llullian University. On one occasion Junipero preached the sermon for the feast of Ramon Llull. One of the retired professors at the University was heard to say that “Serra’s presentation on Llull should be printed in gold.” Junipero had spent almost 20 years in studies, teaching and preaching in and around Palma. He was fully engaged in ministerial work when he and Padre Francisco Palou, decided to offer themselves to Mission work in New Spain. It was three months after Serra’s sermon on Llull.

New Spain 1750-1784“O Sing to our God a New Song.” Psalm 98:1-3 Junipero was assigned to ministry in Ciudad de Mexico and later in the Sierra Gorda area of Mexico. These were areas that had been Christianized long before Serra’s arrival. Serra waited 15 years before he got the assignment of his heart’s desire. He was missioned through Baja California to Alta California, a new area of missionary work for the Franciscan friars, and the beginning of a clash of cultures and religious practices between the local peoples and the friars. And this class wasn’t just between the Franciscans and the native Americans but also between the Spanish military and Padre Serra.

As Serra crossed into Alta California, his first meeting with the Kumeyaay or Diegueno people of California might be surprising to us. The men of the San Diego area whom Junipero encountered wore no clothing. (Remember, this is California not Minnesota. For Serra it was as if these people were from the Garden of Eden before there was any encounter with sin or the need for clothing.

     “He went among the villagers teaching…Mark: 6

On the third occasion of traveling north from San Diego, Serra and his small group were passing through Chumash territory. They were bogged down in the muddy hills above Santa Barbara. Chumash warriors came to their aid and carried Serra through and out of the mud and set the party on their way. Padre Serra could never forget that experience. He referred to it many times.

Later it was Diegueno men who burned Mission San Diego and tortured and killed young Friar Jayme who was in charge of the mission. When the men who perpetrated this gruesome horror were captured Serra refused to have the men killed but insisted they live on to repent of what they had done. One of the leaders of the massacre became a close collaborator of Serra.

The Franciscan missionaries traveled with the Spanish and Mexican soldiers. Their objectives in Alta California were different. The soldiers were commissioned to acquire land for the Spanish crown and stop the Russian incursion from the north. Serra and the friars were concerned for the welfare and protection of the indigenous peoplesand therefore their assimilation for survival as Catholic Christians with skills of farming, ranching, wood working,tanning hides, etc, depending on the location of the Mission, as well as encouraging music, dance and the arts. The assimilated local peoples were called “ladinos.”

As long as Serra was alive the indigenous people had a fierce advocate for the people with the “commandants” and the soldiers. We see the greatness of the work of Serra and the Franciscans in contrast with what happened to the native peoples, as well as to the Mexicans, when California acquired Statehood in 1849.: the Mexicans lost their rancheros and the natives lost their lives. Long live the memory of Padre Junipero Serra.

Mexico seceded from Spain and claimed Alta California as well as New Mexico and Texas. In 1832 the anticlerical Mexican government began the secularization of the Missions and the friars were sent away. The plan was to hand the mission properties to the Native Americans but instead the new governing body sold off the Mission lands or gave them to friends. When California acquired Statehood in 1849 the Mexicans lost their rancheros and the natives lost their lives. Long live the memory of Padre Junipero Serra. May he intercede for us.

Feast of St. Clare

August 14, 2019

Clare of Assisi

                          This beautiful icon was written by

                                       Bonnie Hardwick.

Homily for the Mass.

     From the first reading, “I will allure her…and speak to her heart.  “Hosea 2:16. Where will You allure her? Real estate agents love to say “Location, location, location…”Where was God leading Clare? God was leading her outside the walls of Assisi, down the hill to a tiny chapel, called the Little Portion, to meet with a motley crew of young men who would cut off her hair as a sign that she was joining their gang. That was her espousal to Our Lord Jesus Christ, and Francis was the best man. Clare joined the Friars.

     It was a challenge to find the right spot for Clare, and for the women who would be with her. Bishop Guido, the ordinary of the diocese of Assisi, had a spot. He offered a small chapel that was under his jurisdiction. It was outside the walls of Assisi and down the hill on the well-traveled road that led up into the town of Assisi. There to this day, is the chapel of San Damiano even if the Clares are no longer there. San Damiano was on the other side of the hill from the Little Portion of the friars. Between the two Franciscan Chapels was the Leprosarium. “Location, location, location…”

     The second reading for the feast is taken from Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians, “God let light shine in our hearts…even when we are affected in every way…” These exquisite readings for the feast of Clare were chosen by the friars after Vatican II for the feast of Clare. In this second reading we hear that the light is always there shining in the hearts of Clare and her Sisters that they might make known the glory of God shining on the face of Jesus. And they would do that in the presence of great challenges. There is no doubt that the light was shining on the face of Clare and her Sisters at San Damiano when they stared down the Saracen invaders. What I would like to bring to your attention at this point, is that it was a shared light, shared with Francis and the brothers who the Clares always had with them “through the kindness of the Order of Lesser Brothers.” Chap 12 in the Form of Life and “who were always faithful to the Sisters” the words of Clare. Francis and his closest companions never abandoned Clare and the Sisters at San Damiano. Clare and her Sisters were never distant from Leo, Juniper, Angelo, her cousin Rufino, Elias, and others. When Clare was dying Brother Rainaldo got Clare’s ire up when he told her to be patient in her sickness. She, in a “very unrestrained voice” (shouted) responded, “that since she came to know Jesus through Brother Francis nothing has been too hard.” At Clare’s death bed Juniper was there with his hijinks delighting Clare. Angelo, her cousin, while mourning himself was consoling the others, and Leo kissed her bed. The sisters and brothers were all crying. So much for strict enclosure.

     And poor old Celano writes “Who could narrate the rest without crying.” But, of course, he continues. Listen to this line, “Faces were swollen with tears and the fury of the mourning heart supplied ever new waters.”

     At that moment Clare turned away and said quietly to herself, “Go without anxiety for you have a good guide for your journey, for the one who created you has loved you and made you holy.”

From today’s Gospel, John 15:4-10, Jesus says “My Father has been glorified in your bearing much fruit.”

     After Clare’s death her body was carried up the hill into the city of Assisi to the Church of St. Georgio where Francis’s body had been laid at his death before being transported to the grand basilica named for him. Clare’s remains were buried deep under the altar of the Church of San Georgio which was incorporated into the grand basilica of St. Clare. It was more than 7 hundred years before the bones of St. Clare were exhumed and placed at a barred window in a side room of the basilica.

     When I visited Assisi in 1970 on the way to our new Clarian foundation in Zambia I visited the window where Clare’s remains were on view. I saw some bones with a black gauze pulled over the bones. Those were the remains of her earthly life. But where was Clare? “Location, Location, location.”

From Clare’s 4th and last letter to Agnes of Prague, Clare writes “Farewell, dearest daughter with your daughters, until we meet at the throne of the glory of the great God. This is what I desire for us.” End of quote.

Easter, 2019

Dear Friends,                              

                     Easter is More than a Day 

On many a calendar this year, March 6th was the day when Christians and others received ashes on their foreheads with the injunction to “Repent and believe in the Gospel,” that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. For forty days we listened more acutely to the Scriptures and prayed that we might know then more deeply in order to live them more truly.

“Forty days and forty nights” and here we are at the Proclamation of the Three High Holy Days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Vigil of Easter. Easter is here, and what we have before us is fifty days in which to celebrate.

Setting aside the numerical counting, what is it we celebrate?  How about this: a fresh creation, a new world, a planet of people reaching out to one another, not because we are alike but because we are so wonderfully different.  We celebrate the imagination of our creator, savior, lover God who has creativity beyond our wildest dreams.  This is the Easter good news, grand enough to celebrate for a lifetime.  Yes, Christ is alive in each and all of us, and we are embraced by our Creator and sent about by the Holy Spirit.  This is Good News.

 Your Clare Sisters of Rochester, MN

Inching toward Spring

April 1, 2019

The season of Lent in the northern hemisphere comes at an impressive time of the year.  Winter is still holding on but is beginning to lose her grip.  By this fourth week she tantalizes us with bright sunshine only to bite us with bitter cold soul splitting wind. 

Well, awake from your winter slumber because the scriptures for this fourth Sunday will thaw any heart.  The commentary this week in National Catholic Reporter is by Dominican Sister, Carol Dempsey, picking up on a story, she writes, has gone viral.  Our Gospel for the fourth Sunday is, of course, Jesus’ tale of the Prodigal Son.  The version Sister Carol offers us is out of Zambia, from the Bemba people.  Now I have just sent off the article to my Sisters of St. Clare in Zambia who have in Community Sisters who are Bemba by tribe. 

 The Bemba story goes like this.  If someone from the tribe acts dishonorably, instead of ostracizing the person, or worse, the people circle the prodigal. One by one they name all the good things this person has done in his or her life. They then break the circle and all join in  for a great celebration. You can read the full account on the Web: NCR.org/blogs/scripture-for-life.

IN THE NORTH

In the north one feels a dread of the slide
into silent, somber days,
cold shadows bruising the land.

It will be a long time until the winds of March
force the final blizzard,
sunshine returns and the frozen ground
lets its rigor go.

Lakes will open like the sky                                                             
and people learn what the earth knows:
under the weather’s weight,
life recreates its way toward light.

MORNING AFTER SNOWFALL

1. Open fields white, pinewoods green,
dull dark green stark against snow;
over all, the grim cold as clean as ice.

Where sun shines the gleam is steely
and the blue air would crack if you bent it
which no one will be able to do until the thaw.

2. Fly away, trees, fly away,
night has provided you with wings,
with feathers light as air.
You are buoyant, cool and delicate,
waiting only for the right music.

Kate’s winter musings:

February 18, 2019

WINTER LIGHT

The light of winter is blue where it rests on snow,
silver where it catches the edge of ice.                                             

Under the moon it is magic, soft as smoke,
mysterious and cold.

Winter light seems barren where it stretches over empty fields,
the green of pine in winter is not a fertile green,
as the white of distant stars is not the white of daisies.
The white glacier is an impermeable light.

Winter light is at its best in fire,                                                    

where the warmth of flame meets wood or wax.                             

 Radiance flares like a hand held up
To keep the darkness back.

Kate Martin 2010

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Sister Cecilia is with God

Our Sister Cecilia Ramisch died at St. Mary’s Hospital on January 21, 2019.  

We celebrated the Funeral Mass honoring  Sister Cecilia on February 1.  The Sisters waited for Fr. Mike Joncas to return to the Cities so that he might preside at the Eucharist. Fr. Mike and Sr. Cecilia had a long telephone relationship. Sr. Cecilia was the “fisher of priests” for our daily Eucharist in Bloomington.

And so for our Sister the liturgy began with a Procession into Chapel at Assisi Heights:
At the piano: Lynn Karnati, “How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place,”
Cross Bearer: Christine Holm
First Reader: Tim Murphy, carrying the Lectionary
Second Reader: Mary Kandels

Pall Bearers with coffin:
Kathy Ramisch
Tom Ramisch
Jim Kandels
Andres Raud

Intercessions would be proclaimed by Terry Johnston
Srs. Caroline and Helen carried the Pall
Clare Sisters and Family members followed.
Sr. Jan, ushered in the guests
Fr. Mike Welcomed the worshipers

And began the ritual.
Sr. Margaret sprinkled the cassette with Holy Water;
Srs. Caroline and Helen place the pall on the coffin.
Sr. Gabriel placed the Form of Life and the Crucifix on the coffin.

Sr. Helen offered the  Welcoming and the Eulogy
Liturgy of the Word: Tim and Mary
Homily Fr. Mike
Intersessions: Terry Johnston

Offertory Procession:  Rysia and Ladonna
Communion Ministers: Caroline and Catherine

At the conclusion of this beautiful service for our Sister Cecilia we all sang:
“The Blessing of St. Clare.”

The evening before the Funeral Mass at the Vesper service for Sister Cecilia we read  from Sister Cecilia’s personal reflections that she had left for us which we call, The Gospel according to Cecilia. 

FROM SISTER CECILIA

“Following six years of Poor Clare community life at Sauk Rapids and nine months receiving temporary hospitality from the St. Joseph Sisters at Holy Angels
Secondary School, Richfield, Minnesota, I was very excited to settle in Bloomington, to make Jesus’ presence known through our prayer, daily Eucharist, the Divine Office and contemplative community. Later I found an additional
way to make Jesus’ presence known through a telephone ministry, receiving incoming calls for prayer and offering to each caller a listening ear.” Sister Cecilia

SISTER CECILIA:

“My father died suddenly on April 29_, 1949_, the final day of an 8-day retreat before my first vows. That evening I had a dream about my father. I saw him lying on a cross. There was a sense of God’s great mercy surrounding him.  When I was awakened by the Abbess and Vicaress to inform me that my father had died I was not surprised.” 

Blessings to all,  Sister Cecilia

Christmas at Assisi Heights, 2018

Eight hundred years ago St Francis of Assisi celebrated Christmas with his friends.  They put on a play with a life sized crib and all the accoutrements that an Italian town could offer.   Everyone had a part.  They were able to see and hear, to speak and sing, to enter into this great and simple mystery, God is with us.

When leaving our Monastery in Bloomington last February we left all of our beautiful manger scenes to our Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sisters  except for one: a simple crèche made by the Little Sisters of Jesus, pictured here on our Christmas greeting.   

This was a gift to us from a dear friend who received it as a gift from the Little Sisters.  Our donor felt that we would have more opportunity to pray with this beautiful crèche than she.  And indeed we have prayed before this crèche.  It had been the central focus in our oratory during the Christmas season for over thirty years.

But before we could use Sister Caroline’s photo of the crèche we needed to ask permission from the Little Sisters of Jesus.  Thanks to the internet we found the home of the Little Sisters in Baltimore, Maryland.  Sr. Beth reached Little Sister Rita by phone.  A friendship was born and permission was given.

The figures of Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child could be from any country of the world and as our little globe becomes smaller through communication and mutual appreciation our prayer becomes more particular and universal.

Through the Ages the tradition holds from Bethlehem to Francis, to Charles de Foucauld, to Little Sister Madeline and here with us today through this precious Christmas crèche.  

Our community of Clares will celebrate for the first time the coming of the Lord here with the Franciscan Sisters of Rochester, Minnesota.  And each and all of you will be held in our prayer.

                                                         www.stclaresrochester.org

A moment of Prayer with the Advent Wreath

December 14, 2018

Advent In Our Third Floor Chapel

“In the beginning was the Word; the Word was made Flesh and dwells among us.”

All of created reality is intertwined.  This ending of the old year and the beginning of the new, with celebrations of life, love and our longing for happiness are inbuilt into our persons and our communities.

There are so many ways to share ourselves with one another. Here at Assisi Heights some of the Sisters share their love by joining the Salvation Army in their Christmas bell ringing to raise money for those most in need at this time. The Sisters add special “notes” to the ringing of the bells, they sing Christmas Carols. You can pass by the “bell” but it is hard to resist the singing.  And most wonderful of all is that young people are joining their choir.

   May we all find our special note to add to the Christmas symphony of people in love.

Memories of St Clare

“Keep Your Eyes on Me”: a song written by Sebastian Temple, a secular Franciscan, way back in the 60’s. 

     Outside the walls and down the hill from Assisi is the little chapel of San Damino. It was there, praying before the Crucifix, that the young rascal, Francis, destined to become the world famous saint, was commissioned to transform our world into a place of beauty and love. St. Clare began her life of Franciscan prayer and poverty in this little chapel.

And this is a replica of the San Damiano cross in our Assisi Heights third floor chapel.  It is here that the we Clares gather five times a day to continue that prayer of Francis for God’s beloved people.

     The flowers are from Brother Bob Frazzati and Friar friends from the East Coast on the feast of Clare.

Every August 11th for the feast of St. Clare of Assisi, we receive, that is, the Clares throughout the world, a letter from the Minister General of the Order of Lesser Brothers, the Franciscan men of our multifaced Franciscan family.  Brother Michael Anthony Perry is our current Minister General and Servant.  His letters are inspiring and challenging.  

On the cover of his letter he has a painting on wood by a Spanish Friar, Fra Miguel Angel.  It is interesting because Clare, as a mature, fully garbed nun, is kneeling on one knee outside the monastery at night gazing at a crescent moon and stars.  This makes me chuckle because I would put Francis in this picture and Clare inside the Chapel gazing at the 12th century San Damiano Cross, the resurrection cross, with Christ’s arms out-stretched to embrace all God’s people.

      When you open to our Blog banner you notice something different. You no longer see the Bloomington Monastery in the seasonal photo with our St. Clare there to greet you. If you haven’t heard yet we have moved. Yes, we are south of the Cities in Rochester, MN, motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Rochester and the famed Mayo Clinic. We moved February 7th, a date none of us will forget. It was in the depths of white winter and bitter cold.

     I wanted to work on our Blog banner right away but where could I find seasonal photos in this colorless environment. Then I heard about Sr. Elizabeth Gillis who lives here with us and for years has photographed the seasonal landscapes around the Motherhouse. Sr. Elizabeth loaned us her “thumb drive” where among her many beautiful photos we found exactly what we wanted. Kim, here at the Motherhouse and her bright young son, Nick, and Jonya, my new friend at the Rochester public library helped get the photos on to the web. 

     The next quest was where do we find an image of St. Clare.  After canvasing the Motherhouse for inages of St. Clare I remembered the statue of Clare that was carved for Mayo Clinic, St. Mary’s Campus, about twelve years ago. Ready to rush right over to St. Mary’s and photograph the carving, I was alerted to the fact that the statue was in storage due to ongoing building projects at St. Marys.   Then in a happy turn, Wes Thompson, Facilities Director here at Assisi Heights, directed me to Sr. Lauren Weinandt, longtime archivist at St. Mary’s.  In the archives of the famous hospital was the history of the making of this amazing statue of St. Clare with photographs of the day on which Clare’s image was blessed.

     This next part of the story is personal to me.  I remembered the visit about 13 years ago of a young woman from St. Paul, MN, who was commissioned to carve a statue of St. Clare for St. Mary’s Peace Garden.  We met in one of the parlors in our monastery in Bloomington.  One of her questions was about symbols appropriate to St. Clare.  I suggested that Clare was known for washing the feet of her Sisters when they returned from their ministry outside the monastery.  What I remember most clearly of the encounter is that I took the young woman to our sacristy and showed her the bowls and pitchers crafted by the fine potter, Warren McKensie, of Stillwater, MN, the pottery which we used at the liturgy of the foot washing every Holy Thursday. I think that I showed her the towels also.  When I saw the archival photos this all came back to me.  The name of the sculptress is Caprice Kueffner Glaser.  And here is the Clare she gave us.

Sister Caroline Berres took these beautiful photos shortly after Clare was placed in the Peace Garden.

Friends from Beth’s Spanish Class

July 5, 2018

My beloved teachers and classmates came to visit.

Sister Cecilia arrives July 12th

July 5, 2018

On June 12th Sisters Caroline, Jo and Beth joined Sister Cecilia at Catholic Elder Care to celebrate Cecilia’s birthday.  On July 12th Sr Cecilia will join us at Assisi Heights.  

Sr. Cecilia has lived at Catholic Elder Care for seven years.  One of the reasons for our move to the Franciscan motherhouse was that Sr.Cecilia and Sr. Kate could be with us here in Community. Cecilia’s room is ready,  just across from Sister Kate and down the hall from the rest of our Community.  We will all be together again.

What a retreat for forward movement in this beautiful life at Assisi Heights!

Mike Blastic’s retreat presentations here at Assisi Heights.

One of the special gifts of our brother Mike is his great background in Franciscan/Clarian studies but perhaps even more is his living of the charism since he was a young man.  Mike was able to present during our retreat the beginning and early expression of the Friars and Poor Sisters’ Franciscan life like I have never heard before.  His three “C’ s” of our charism are: “Conversation, Contemplation and Compassion.”

Of course we know that Franciscan/Clarian life is Christocentric.How do the three C’s match up with the life of Jesus that we know through the Gospels?

1. Conversation. Oh my Goodness! Jesus was and is the great communicator, the Word of God made flesh.  Think of the interactions of Jesus with individuals, teaching moments for them and for us; the parables and instructions to his followers and to the crowds in general, his generous teachings even in the midst of controversy.
2. Jesus’ conversations seem to always end in Contemplation and communion in solitude with his Father, his be-ing time, often on a mountain. Shhh…
3. The completion of the three C’s is Compassion. The miracle stories are about compassion, compassion for the other in front of him, the short man, the blind man, the woman caught in adultery, the hungry crowd, etc. Jesus can’t bear to see his Father’s children suffer.  The only one for whom he does not work a wonder is himself.

Mike’s retreat was good for all Christians and especially for those of us on the  Franciscan trek.

Folks from the Cities Visit

May 2, 2018

It was a red letter day at Assisi Heights on Friday when a caravan arrived to join us for Eucharist and Dinner. 

Some were from far away others from as near as the Cities.  All were heartily welcomed by us Clares  and the Franciscan Sisters here at the Heights.

Our dear friend Michael Joncas was with us as presider at Eucharist.  In the photo with Mike are some of our “regulars” from daily Eucharist in Bloomington who helped with the Chapel décor for Feasts and Seasons and all manner of good works around the Monastery.

  Professors and students from Northern Iowa University. 

Doctor Jessica Moon (next to Sr. Beth) is director of the Honors Program at the University of Northern Iowa.  They are studying monastic life in the Middle Ages.  Who better to talk to them about medieval monastic life than the Poor Clares?  At one point in the conversation each Clare was asked to share her vocation story.  No two are alike! 

The ICE is melting and Spring is just around CORNER

April 2, 2018

SEVEN REFLECTIONS ON ICE

   Icebreakers are ships plying polar seas

but they are also opening conversation

gambits. 

   Cracks in lake ice are rarely wise cracks.

Wisecracks seldom break conversational

ice. 

  It is not usually wise to play with fire.

Ice too may be hazardous if unreliably

thin.

    Some ideas may be called breakthroughs.

So may unexpected descents through lake

ice.

    Stares from some may be cold icy glares.

Stairs may also be glare ice. Please tread

 lightly.

      Jack Frost writes ice on window panes.

Robert Frost writes of pain in fire and

ice.

    To kill is to ice, in some old noir stories.

But icing is also the finishing touch on a

cake.

Doug Westendorp, 2018

---

THERE IS NO CORNER

                There is no corner

Around which

There is no pain.

              There is no pain

Within which

There is no gift.

            There is no gift

Without which

There is no love.

            There is no love

Within which

There is no grace.

            There is no grace

Around which

There is no peace.

            There is no peace

Without which

There is no light.

              There is no light

Within which

There is no life.

             There is no life

Around which

There is no corner. 

Doug Westendorp, 2018