Issue Date: August 27, 2004
POETRY
Apparition 04
News item: Mary makes a comeback.
New book predicts return of the Mother of God (NCR, April
30)
Mary, you are too commercial: A brand name of miracles that
outdoes Duz in wishing machines on peasant hills, where crutches are the
dull grey of human sheets attesting to the chemistry of your Madison
Avenue ways. Too cosmopolitan, too, Mary: Knock, Knock. Whos
there? The Lady of Fatima Lourdes Guadalupe; Howja ever miss a
cantata on the road to Mandalay? And all those kids you scared the hell
outta Doesnt smack of maternal love.
Whats with you,
Mary? Is it tough keeping body and soul together in a place that is no
place but a fluxless state of mind? Frost says he wanted to
go toward heaven (italics his) not into it, because earth is best
for love.
Maybe he scaled your problem: Maybe you keep climbing back
to earth to get the feel of solid ground underneath your feet and feel
the heat of human love. Maybe you need us (italics
mine); We need you? Hmmm (meaning no disrespect.)
Your fragile
barks smack of lambent hard sell, in an age when the tempestuous
seeds of the juiciest tomato need the Sun -- like we do. You are
Mother Dearest Mother Fairest precisely because of the Sunseed: We
respect honor admire love
You, for the Sunshine of your style; But --
meanwhile -- Dont call us. Well call you.
-- Thomas F. Mader Walnut Creek, Calif.
A Feral Faith
a feral faith is best
dank, damp and odiferous as a monks sack
heavy in the
hand as grain-laden manure
sacerdotal, scatological, thorn-sore
-- Michael F. Carroll Buda, Texas
National Catholic Reporter, August 27, 2004 |