Light and Grace

 

Today is the 200th anniversary of the death of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.  She was the American founder of my community, which she called the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph.  It's a long story, but she was a convert, a widow, mother of five children, and first American-born saint.

Here are three poems I wrote about her over the years:

Elizabeth Seton

 

 

Proud straight woman

with the snapping eyes,

you had to look up

to your benefactors.

You had to sail oceans

to make up your mind,

and lose all your lace

to be stubborn.

You had to be cold

in a damp stone house,

rubbing your hands together

before you could play

that piano,

and you had to wear black

enough

to understand.

Proud loving woman,

pulled into heaven

between last minute

reminders

to earth!

 

 

 

 

Mother Seton’s Bible

 

 

Mercy was your favorite word.

How many times

underlined in psalm and margin

by your wondering hand.

Mercy -on your eye

tears,

the sea, and thanks.

Mercy – vows

in an underground chapel-

let us not forget

our communion

of tomorrow.

Mercy-

thinking sea voyages,

passages to heaven,

thinking

how children breathe

their first

earth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Seton: Light and Grace

 

Candlelight on her Bible.

She reaches for the pen, writes in the margin

“to know Thy truth.”

To know, in the midst of

argument and controversy...

Candlelight flickers

as she underlines Eternity.

“Evenings alone: writing – Bible –

psalms in burning desires of heaven.”

 

Sunlight pours through

the schoolroom window,

lighting her face,

the faces of the children.

It’s the light of faith –

light to know.

 

Grace fills her words to the sisters,

her dear ones, clutching her hand

as they walk the summer valley,

grace in the presence

“of  you know who.”

Common sense lived out in love:

 spinning wheel in the kitchen,

 piano in the schoolroom,

folding open doors  of the chapel.

grace to do.

 

Her words to a student far away:

“My heart has gone home with you.”

Home with us, with

light to know,

grace to do.