Category Archives: Poetry

“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 →

Friday, October 30    “a billion times told lovelier” Autumn’s gusty winds;  Covid weariness across our land calling for courage and hope in the teeth of fear and anger as our national elections loom.   A good morning for story-telling and … Continue reading →

The prayer below appears on the first day of January each year.  If I am not mistaken, it is the oldest prayer I ever recite, several thousand years deep in the liturgy that helps open the first day of each … Continue reading →