The Crib and the Cross “…and His sepulcher shall be glorious!” (Isaiah 11:10) The crib – In the shadow of the cross Rough and hard No lustrous gloss No lustrous gloss Or polished sheen Just wood for His birth And for the death scene For the death scene they thought Would end all Casting its […]
To Men of Good Will There can be no peace If not of good will. There can be no race For those who stand still. Only she – Full of grace Was the miracle Set in place. To magnify Her soul prepared By God, her spirit – Never ensnared. “Blessed art thou…” Gabriel hailed, And […]
Mary of the Morn Through the Gate O’Morn He came In a stable born Where St. Joseph Held her hand Both so tired and worn. Patient donkey Just outside Munching on some corn Saw the love St. Joseph had To Mary he was sworn. Saw St. Joseph’s Furrowed brow Knowing future scorn Saw St. Joseph […]
Christmas Gold If I had a big house, As a rule-of-thumb, At Christmas I’d have loved-ones And others, if they’d come. If I had a big, house, A cupboard, warm and round, Would feed my Christmas guests The staff of life, here, found. If I had a big, house, All men I would let in, […]
Silver Straw Where Africa, Asia And Europe do meet, In the middle of the earth David’s line complete… After Abraham and Sarah In the middle of time, Up until now The Savior sublime… Born in a stable In the middle of the night, In the middle of His creatures Under middle-star bright… Blessed Mother, foster-father […]
Sanctuary Stars To all my friends I cannot see I’ll pray for you On bended knee On Christmas morn At stable’s side Where Christ the King Once did abide. Amidst the stench Of creatures low Yet star above Sent down its glow. First Sanctuary light Bold thing A beacon for The hidden King. And when […]
The Nazareth Mines When Rome was Of the world – And Master Moon Was free – And Mistress Midnight Bedizened – In show-star Finery. A tiny sparkle Caught, Miss Mistress Midnight’s Eye – And captured Master Moon, Who paled And gasped a sigh – But Rome, still Of the world, Had doctors observe Ceiling signs […]
The Morning of Christmas Eve It is the morn Of Christmas Eve, Scrambled eggs I cook. Advent, Sunday, Fourth and last All fasting now forsook. The birds outside Are singing carols Pitched soprano-high. Above the frost Below the blue, Their midnight moment nigh. Then beasts will speak In whispers low, When Emmanuel did come, How […]
Oh Christmas Tree! December 23rd has come And all my Christmas Shopping’s done. All gifts are hidden, Tucked away, Until the morn of Christmas day. When children wake, Like souls confessed, All light and bright, it’s Christmas Fest! Oh Gloria! We’ll sing and pray And open gifts on that Feast Day. Around the creche We’ll […]
Ever Green December twenty-second Three days before The Fest. I sit in coal-black Morning, Waiting for my guest. Examining My conscience, I spy the dinge and dirt The howling wind And icy sleet Intensify the hurt. So out into The dark, I trod in sleety snow, Searching for The evergreen Of hope the Christmas glow. […]
Stainless Steel There is a perception, That Jesus’ conception Is the Feast on December the eighth. But such, is deception, It’s about the reception, Of her soul, stainless steel of the Faith! Hilary M. Flanery
Winter Morn A very pale Blue slate-gray, A puff of Powdered cloud. Glassed-limbs crackle Stiff with age Then snap – And boom quite loud. Tree trunks black In shrouds of ice – Branches split And splinter. November sleeps December wakes To the eternal Advent of winter! Hilary M. Flanery
Christmas Let the poor have Santa Claus, Let the rich, a cruise, Let the rest have what they want But Jesus, just refuse. Hilary M. Flanery
The Mule Purple, purple, Purple, pink, In evergreen The candles sink. Candle’s age? One thousand yeared, With four four-thousand ‘Fore He appeared. Each Sunday four In front of Yule When she arrived Upon a mule. A revolution Round the stall, Till suddenly On knees were all! Like priest incensing Hallowed altar To bear her Son […]
The Wait November ends Winter pretends She’s harsher than We think. She blows us to Mass Where ringed in green grass Are purple And one candle pink. Purple is lit We kneel then we sit The waiting has now Just begun. Four weeks we will fast ‘Till waiting is past And winter will Dress for […]
The Thanking Day With prayer, I start the Thanking Day, At dawn, I kneel, Te Deum, pray. I dress for Mass then wake a son. He’ll serve the priest, a chosen one. A hushed low Mass right after Matins, Our Lord above all sons’ gold patens. He’ll lay upon my wicked tongue, I pray, forgive, […]
The Roast Beef Hour Cloth of cream China plate Crystal vases Decorate. Blossoms orange Mums of yellow Autumn eve A Sunday mellow. Sterling silver Piney vapor Scents the air From brass held taper. Dad and mom Sipping wine Roasting beef Upon we’ll dine. Chilly children Crunch on leaves Runny noses Wiped on sleeves. Whipped potatoes […]
De Profundis Every Sacrament I could… Immersed my soul In graces good. Every penance That I uttered In fear and trepidation Shuddered. Every child I birthed in pain I offered Him So souls would gain. And now my soul In night won’t cease For you my prayers… De Profundis. Hilary M. Flanery
YES, I KNOW NOVEMBER (for All Soul’s Day) Yes, I know November The tolling of the bell, The whispers of the suf’ring souls From mountain top to dell. The chilly, gray, damp mornings The rusting of the leaves, The whispers of the suf’ring souls Like moans from one who grieves. And in the windy noon-time […]
Pierre’s Pockets The beginning of Wisdom Is Fear of the Lord, So Wisdom with age? I’ve seen no accord. So you’ve lived many decades Seen the world more than twice. But what have you learned? That sinners are nice? That sinners eat And sinners drink And sinners read And sinners think! And sinners have Sincere […]
ALL HALLOW’S EVE On All Hallow’s Eve Doth blow the leave Bare branches Bend down to the ground. Children believe And simply conceive There’s evil And it’s all around. So pumpkins all lit Trick or treat just a bit All costumed they Go through the town. They face with much wit Tell jokes that do […]
October Feast Day In the gold mouth Of the morning I knead the bread From wheat. Mix broccoli, bacon In wooden bowl Add raisins Sugared sweet. A Burgundy wine From His own grape Marinating beef Will seep. Then later boil Egg noodles, white Pile in a Buttered heap. Chocolate cake Oh what a gift Miraculous […]
Man’s Best Friend …for Octoberfest A man’s best friend If you please Is not a dog But cheddar cheese. A cheese whose taste Runs sharp or mellow Why cheese with beer Can help a fellow And make him look Like a handsome hunk When he passes some To a girl that’s drunk In the local […]
Holy… GHOST in the GRAVEYARD It’s Friday night Of the fourth week of school A bit of a nip Beginning to cool. After supper In the night It’s “Ghost in the graveyard” Children take flight! They run round corners Of neighbors’ homes Hide behind cars With duct-taped chromes. Quiet brown Crackling leaves breeze They all […]
