I have a busy day tomorrow so I’m posting poetry month, day 20 a day early. The Minute Poem is a rhyming verse form consisting of 12 lines of 60 syllables written in strict iambic meter. The poem is formatted into 3 stanzas of 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4; 8,4,4,4 syllables. The rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb, ccdd, eeff.
While on my way to work this morning a strange storefront caught my eye, in particular the statue in the window. I knew I needed to stop by on my way home to explore it a bit more.
It is a strange, verging on creepy, little place. A small sign on a side window says it’s a Catholic museum. The statues and relics contained within share the space with lawn chairs, debris and dust.
I couldn’t help feeling a bit nostalgic, remembering the unfailing devotion of my grandmother who attended Novena Masses every morning and taught me to believe in the mystical and miraculous.
Odd as it all was, I felt blessed by those memories of my childhood and embraced in grace.
Even there behind a pane of glass, surrounded by piles of junk and buried under layers of dust…even there, miracles are possible.
Here then is my Minute Poem…
NOTE: I had mistaken the identity of this lovely “lady”. She is, in fact Saint Therese of Lisieux. So…to be accurate, I have tweaked the poem. It doesn’t change the meter or the mystical quality. A rose by another name is still sweet. ❤
Storefront Saint
Hail fair Lady full of woe
no votive’s glow
to warm your feet
here on Fifth Street.As weary travelers pass by
none catch your eye
lacking vision
for apparitions.Strange Storefront Saint Therese, you wait
bestowing grace
upon the few
who notice you.~kat – 20 April 2016





April 19th, 2016 at 10:29 pm
I was born and raised a Catholic with five sibling, two uncles that were priests and an aunt that was a nun. I guess they are still that. One uncle deceased, the other two retired. I think this is a hauntingly sad, yet true, tribute to that Mother Mary statue in the storefront.
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April 19th, 2016 at 10:33 pm
I did feel sad but inspired at the same time…cradle Catholic here…12 years parochial school. Those memories are always with us. ❤️
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April 19th, 2016 at 10:43 pm
Yah, 8 years parochial here too. Even got back into the church and got daughter baptized around 9 or so and her first confession at 11. Never made the leap to Confirmation with her, where you pick your middle saint name. Mine is Elizabeth. But we dropped out again and now she’s off to college next year to decide her own faith, (or not).
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April 19th, 2016 at 11:04 pm
I hear ya! Similar journey here. All my girls are baptized, but we didn’t stay. My confirmation name bye is Bridgette. 😊
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April 20th, 2016 at 12:03 am
🙂
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April 19th, 2016 at 10:35 pm
This is a very lovely poem Kat and meaningful for you I think. I’m not Catholic myself but I do love the vision of Madonna and Christ repeated in art throughout the ages. Nicely done Minute.
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April 19th, 2016 at 10:38 pm
Thanks Mandi. ❤️
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