When Reading About St. Francis of Assisi
When reading about St. Francis of Assisi, my patron saint …
St. Francis of Assisi
When Reading About St. Francis of Assisi
It was my anger that led me to you,
through anger, love as if a flower grew.
I. Work
I have been pulling weeds for a week now
reminds me of my youth digging ditches
for the local utility snitches
by lunch embracing a noontime Tao.
A desert stretches out from the highway
my hangover makes the pain doable
as I walk in Sagebrush hauling cable
to know this path is my path to the way.
I will get this lot cleared out by next week,
though sober now sun relentlessly pounds
upon my skin as I work the land.
Through my labor I let my spirit speak
along with the beat of Cicada sounds
my shovel moves through earth as I have planned.
II. Home
Once St. Francis walked along this path too,
the time of life to choose between despair
or integrity, ourselves lying bare,
our callous hands press wounds that we once knew.
When St. Francis stood amongst the many
he looked upon the poor as wretched lots
these sadly clad and lazy rotten sots
a wasted mind searching for a penny.
Though now I labor as if I was young,
to clear the ground, create a living space,
I contemplate my patron saint through sweat.
Whether I am still my song is being sung
by birds who notice my building of place,
a place where I and nature now have met.
III. Life
To find that beauty is reality
we hold our complicated lives to test
we struggle to ensure we are the best,
yet, beauty Francis saw in poverty.
I realize this lifetimes work is real
as real as birds who nest to raise their kin,
or trying to capitalize in sin,
the faith that God will provide my next meal.
This story really is a love affair
of bravery to love all of the world
that God created, all of this beauty.
To walk through thickened thorns without a care
and listen to birdsong as its unfurled
through love, my work becomes sacred duty.
~
For more works like When Reading About St. Francis of Assisi and other topics by this author visit
Jamie Lee Hamann Author Page
You can also find works by Jamie Lee Hamann on HubPages.
- On One Terrible Night: The Family Well - November 8, 2024
- A Peaceful Place to Slumber - November 8, 2024
- Soft Shock of Apples Falling - April 22, 2024
Jamie, the spiritual connections between you, St. Francis, nature, the land, the labor, and God comes through strong and steady within this poem. This is a peaceful and enjoyable read. Well done, my friend.
I echo Phyllis’s comment. If we do everything in love and see the beauty in all we can never go wrong. Good work, Jamie.
I also echo Phyllis comment – if only everyone could see the world in this light we all would be better off. Nice work Jamie.
I’d have to agree with everyone here. It is too bad we do not have more people like this to surround ourselves with. I think you’ve done St. Francis justice here Jamie. Nice work.
Thank you all for your kind comments I appreciate these gifts. Jamie