poem: the Breath of God

poem: the Breath of God

A Chapter by Marie Anzalone
"

penciled this am on the back of a receipt at breakfast

"

Yesterday-

    was a day for the Dead

        Today,

we honor the living.

 

A still divided country

    united today in prayer,

awash in the smoke not of battle

  now, but incense-

and scented by flowers,

   literally metric tons

     of flowers.

 

a path to the future lit by

    millions and millions of candles

  Tonight

     we seek advice through

spaces in wreaths,

    divine fortunes by the art

of arranging palm leaves,

          just so.

 

for this is what we do, here,

     when the air is thin enough

   for us to open our ears

to the Breath of God.

 

and this morning, I thought

    I heard my long lost friend

walk beside me a few blocks

    on quiet paving stones

         in the hush

before the fireworks

      REALLY begin.

 

His footsteps whispering

    in time with the struggling

heartbeat of this land,

    500 years of memories

 reconciled each year anew

      in the folded hands

of the Virgin Mary.

 

Bless me today, then,

    for I am yet alive;

lay a wreath of camarones

    at my doorstep, and invite me,

to walk another year

     within your sight. Amen.

 

 

 

 



© 2013 Marie Anzalone


Author's Note

Marie Anzalone
celebrating All Saints Day in Guatemala, 2012
picture is of the flower, "camarone" named because of its resemblance to shrimp; taken by the author in the marketplace 2 days ago. These flowers are used to decorate graves here for the Day of the Dead and All Saints Day

My Review

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Featured Review

Dear Marie,

As always, a delicate poem, full of thoughtfulness. Memories. Traditions. Friends that have passed and the flowers we use to honor and remember them. The Day of the Dead. Deeply rooted in Celtic tradition as Samhain, the cross-quarter holiday midway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is the end of summer in Celtic tradition and the beginning of the dark of winter. It is a time when the door to the "other world" opens enough to for the dead to walk the world. A deep cultural tradition going back many thousands of years.

Wonderful work, Marie. This was greatly enjoyed.

Best regards,

Rick

Posted 11 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

11 Years Ago

Thank you, Rick, as you know, you and I both are writers trying to grapple with reconciliation of sc.. read more



Reviews

Dear Marie,

As always, a delicate poem, full of thoughtfulness. Memories. Traditions. Friends that have passed and the flowers we use to honor and remember them. The Day of the Dead. Deeply rooted in Celtic tradition as Samhain, the cross-quarter holiday midway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is the end of summer in Celtic tradition and the beginning of the dark of winter. It is a time when the door to the "other world" opens enough to for the dead to walk the world. A deep cultural tradition going back many thousands of years.

Wonderful work, Marie. This was greatly enjoyed.

Best regards,

Rick

Posted 11 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

11 Years Ago

Thank you, Rick, as you know, you and I both are writers trying to grapple with reconciliation of sc.. read more
very nice Marie...praying for blessings, and peace....from within the breath of God...your prayer will be answered...nice....

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

Thanks, Art, always a pleasure when you take time to read and comment. I think I need to tweak this .. read more
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DrD
Today is Revolution Day in Mexico and everyone is resting. Tonight will be the fireworks. We also observed the Day of the Dead and paid our respects in the graveyards with some tombs dated in the 1600s. It's good to relate with someone who "knows" and I deeply appreciated this work.

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

Thanks, DrD. Hope you were able to enjoy the festivities. I greatly enjoyed your photos, too. Very r.. read more
Such a sacred, tenderly voiced write that beckons the heart to rise... Your prayer holds such longing for life to be found in the dance, and for today to mingle in all the yesterdays and forge a newfound freedom. Powerful and poignant, dear poet.

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

thanks, dear omne... always always a joy to hear what you read in my words. The Day of the dead ikn .. read more
An amazing experience put into words, no need to dissect a poem. Only to read it over. A beautiful description of a beautiful tradition. Thank you for sharing this

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

I saw something yesterday, written here, as graffiti: "fall in love with peace." That seemed to capt.. read more
bless you today and always

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

thank you dear.. you as well
well done expression...things i know u hear...bet the vibrations are going right thru u

Posted 12 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Marie Anzalone

12 Years Ago

Thanks, gombeggar... yes, as you know, I do feel it here... it has been a strange, mystical, and hea.. read more

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Added on November 1, 2012
Last Updated on April 1, 2013

Peregrinating North-South Compass Points


Author

Marie Anzalone
Marie Anzalone

Xecaracoj, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala



About
Bilingual (English and Spanish) poet, essayist, novelist, grant writer, editor, and technical writer working in Central America. "A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to ta.. more..

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