Monthly Archives: November 2020

November 30, early in this year’s Advent season My Lakota daughter, Mary Tobacco, lives on the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation.  For some years, she and Fr. Bill Pauly, sj walked and ran and drove across that same land. She and I … Continue reading →

Friday, November 27 — first day after U.S. Thanksgiving This delicate and demanding Hopkins poem is beautiful; these days of less and lesser sun make a sweet time for Gerard Manley Hopkins’ brilliant, understated poem about soft paced sorrow, and beauty, and … Continue reading →

“to cry for a vision is a sacred task” The Lakota expression “hanblechia” means “he or she cries out for a vision.” It is the name of one of the most sacred Lakota rituals.  It begins with a sweat bath, … Continue reading →

November 23 – a late November poem from G M Hopkins Who knows what intuition led Hopkins to this metaphor – – a skylark’s wild explosions of energy and what happens when all that free spirit gets caged — skylark … Continue reading →

Monday, November 18, 2020  —  Dan Berrigan sj – a prophet for his moment in time It’s safe to say that no US Jesuit of my generation or the next ignored Dan Berrigan, sj.  He died on Saturday, April 30, … Continue reading →

Friday, November 14, 2014 I’ve never posted after work on Friday before.  But, just before heading over to our Faculty Achievement Annual Dinner, I read this account from Mary Jo McConahay, a reporter who came very early to the Jesuit … Continue reading →

November 9, 2020 One of Detroit’s great African American poets has passed.  Naomi Long Madgett stands with Dudley Randall as a founding spirit for this city and a host of companions.   I am honored to include her in the “Work Day, … Continue reading →

Many members of the Work Day/Hard Times Poetry List have emailed this morning; they remind me, as do the 4 poems we’ve prepared for tonight’s class session (on the teachings of Catherine McAuley and St. Ignatius on prayer) – – … Continue reading →

November 3, Election Day 2020 – – for angry moments in nervous times About midnight last night, I opened my window to say goodnight to 6 Mile and Livernois, and the city. Astonishing. After some days of damp and pretty … Continue reading →

“The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.” One of my soul friends of many years emailed Rumi’s “Guest House” yesterday.   When readers send poems, they create a place of … Continue reading →