Little bugs bring clarity to me
Little tiny things
Reduce the gigantic and unwieldy
To their proper size.
They also remind my ego of
Its proper size
In the scheme of my life.
SAVING POETRY TO REMEMBER
Oct. 9, 1985
I’m a saver from way back
My family knows.
From letters, old mementos
To used clothes.
I’ve drawers and closets full
Of you just name it.
Everything is dear,
I just save it!
My poems do not take up
Much space.
And now I’ve found a way
To store up thoughts.
Graces and good things that
Come my way,
I now can save these things
That matter most.
There’s a more serious side
To the “saving” of poetry
For me it’s a way of preserving,
The insights that come from deep struggle and pain
That need saving for me to remember again!
That no matter how terrible
Things look at times
There are lessons to learn
And pumps to prime.
The journey that’s traveled
Is precious indeed
It’s where God meets me
And waters the seeds
Of new growth – maturity
That’s tuned up by his Trinity.
This gift of reflection
Accompanied by God
With the help of his Spirit
And the love of his Son
With Mary our mother’s nurturing heart
It’s safe to go through problem s, tortuous and dark.
Because they ponder with in us and for us
When we reflect in their company
And work through our stages of growth and development
Toward completion, union – maturity.
WAVES 1980
On the great seashore of Mexico
Acapulco’s long Pacific beach
I took a swim one day
Never enjoyed the water so much.
Great undertow
To the left
Great waves
One after another
Constantly
Regularly
Like never before I’ve known.
I knew the Father’s
Constancy in these
Waves.
Consistent
Wave
After
Wave
After
Wave –
Too many in a row to count.
Teach me Lord about
YOU
And your care
Through your waves.
I knew when I
Was asking
For more understanding
That He had already given it.
My asking was really
Just a response
To what He was
Showing
me.
That
I was having fun
In His waves
Riding
Ducking
Bobbing
Jumping
Feeling very safe
Feeling there were
Plenty of
Waves
To try all
Kinds of
Things.
All the while
Sensing God’s
Fatherly
Loving
Care.
Calling me on
To explore and grow.
And He gave me a
Chance to
Magnificat through action via
An exuberant Mexican man
And his daughter
Bubbling with
The joy
Of the
Waves
Pointing outward
With robust
Passionate delight
To me
Not to go to
Shore
But to
Try another
Delightful
Wave.
The exchange between
Us was
Body language –
Laughter,
Joy,
Excitement –
Join in God’s fun.
Yes – Glory
We united very
Well in
Sign language words
Soul language
His mother tongue
Is Mexican
Mine American
English.
Sign, soul, heart
Language
Is really
What speaks
In God’s
Land!
HOUSECLEANING Oct. 9, 1985
Writing prayer poetry’s
Like cleaning my house
I dust and I polish my
Interior life
I vacuum my thoughts
From deep down inside me
And when I am finished
I am sparkling and bright!
Joan Pendergast
Joan Pendergast founded and ran After Abortion Helpline, Inc., in Rhode Island, for 20 years, and helped develop and run Project Rachel and Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats for the Diocese of Providence. Joan is the author of “Markings of Mercy: The Story of After Abortion Helpline.”
