Sister Mary Elizabeth Henaughan, H.M.

Canton, Ohio

As a retired teacher and Nursing Assistant for Columbia Mercy Medical Center Private Duty and a religious of the sisters of the Humility of Mary, I find time to play the guitar, to sing, to paint, and to write poetry. My poems have been published in the New Life Center Newsletter and The National Library of Poetry. I have published a collection of poetry entitled NEW LIFE. I am working on a display of my poetry on water for our mother house at Villa Maria, Pennsylvania. My poetry is the contemplative life of my soul spilling into my everyday reality.

Haiku

Divine Female God
Release the bonds of my life
Nurture freedom, soar.

Creative fire
Keeper and hearth guardian
Release soul beauty.

Conflict

Conflict, you thrash, you pound,
You toss me around
I get so dizzy from the turning.
I know not the peace for which I'm yearning.

Conflict, you build me up
Then let me down.
I feel myself lie heavy onto the ground.
I am carried into a land
of desolation and pain.
With its sword I am slain.

Conflict, you shake me loose.
You release the heavy noose.
Creativity begins to stir
New Faith, new hope, new love
Within my troubled heart does occur.

Conflict, you ignite a fire in this dark night
You consume me with ravaged delight
Your beauty reflects my holiness that never ends.
I come to know more of who I am
And who you are my friend.

The Garden

O Garden, place of grace.
You fill me with mystery.
I dig my fingers into your soil
Long hours in hot sun I toil.

O Garden, please where God dwells and talks.
You let me feel her divine presence.
I plant the seeds of awareness.
In this place of harmony and attentiveness.

O Garden, place to slow me down.
You cannot be hurried.
I must obey the need of each little plant
Creating ways to keep it alive,
Never saying, I can't.

O Garden, daily I enter your temple.
You feed me from your bounty.
I sit, I watch, I weed, I wait.
The harvest may come early
Or it may be late.