An entire weekend of solitude and lakes and autumn trees at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center. If you have a Franciscan retreat center near you, I’d highly recommend you give yourself the gift of nature retreat. More of a “hold still” than a “retreat.” When you hold still and be, you can then more forward, advance.
Of course six poems came to be while I was being. The lake, only steps away from my simple cabin, showed up in them all.
The first, “Lake Old Friend” needs a little background. Having never been to Marywood, I didn’t realize it sits only a few miles from the lakes I frequented in my early 20s (I am now early 50s) Enjoy all six poems!
Lake Old Friend
Lake old friend,
me, the prodigal child
back from the dangers
of river and ocean
to the familiar
tree rimmed,
slow lapping lake
in Autumn
when the shoreline is ablaze
in the godly sense
of nature tucking in,
into showers of orange leaves
and orange needles
white pine
the heritage of old Wisconsin
Northwoods, lake country,
soul country,
achingly home.
