#abbye
One in nature
but three distinct persons
Dom Charles said
of the Trinity of God
I watched him
as he showed me
how to pluck apples
from the trees
in the abbey orchard,
fiducia in Deum
He will always be
with you
Dom James said
I listened as he spoke
sunlight pierced
the coloured glass
of the high window,
Hugh spoke
of the chairs he made
for the guest's common room
carpenter by trade
but now a monk in training,
bell pulled in the cloister
by the tall thin monk
for Vespers
we lined up
on either side
of the cloisters
against the walls
orange bricks,
nam *** ego infirmi
essemus secundum
quod est tunc
fortis sum
said St Paul
when he was weak
then he was strong
or such I mused,
the Crucified
on the crucifix
on the wall above my bed
head to one side
arms stretched
hands pierced,
un ami de tous
n'est pas un ami
pour personne
Gareth said
quoting Aristotle
as we walked
through woods
of the abbey
towards the shoreline,
I tolled the bell for Terce
George beside me
tolling his bell
novices at work
at least for awhile
his dark eyes
and that warm smile.
May 9, 2017
May 9, 2017 at 6:23 AM UTC
Tall bell tower
caught in moonlight
Moorish design
I stood and looked
as bell tolled for Compline,
campana suonò
per compieta
smell of incense
as I entered the church
with only altar red light
and Dom Peter crossed
from cloister to bell tower,
sans Dieu nous
ne sommes rien
the French monk said
as he came to the guest room
to talk of the monastic life
to me I sat in the armchair
he on another chair
in his black robes
hands folded together,
manos juntas
skin on skin
prayer mode
knees aching
with kneeling,
we are nothing without God
Dom Charles said to me
as we picked apples
from the orchard
after lunch
in warm sunshine
a turn of the hand to pluck,
die Menschheit ohne
Gott verloren sind
the Austrian monk told me
before supper walking
from the cloister together,
stars in the evening sky
the moon bright
as a polished coin
chill in the air
standing waiting
for Compline to begin,
agnus Dei
that time in Mass
sensing the host
on my tongue dissolving
segno esteriore
di grazia interiore
Bruno said each
outward sign of inner grace
the sacraments
sacramenti,
monks chanted
the night office
and I stood and let it
flow over me
like a pure sea.
Feb 10, 2017
Feb 10, 2017 at 2:41 PM UTC
I walked the cloisters
smelt the incense
listened to the birds sing,
discamus aliorum merita
cicatricesque cautio
saith Jerome
Dom Charles said,
the old monk sliced
a thin slice
of brown bread
with slow deliberateness
as if he prayed
as he sliced,
I hoed the flower bed
at the back of the abbey
sun on my shoulder
shadow playing
before me,
l'ombra giocato prima di me
I told the Italian monk
as we sat peeling potatoes
in the cloister after Terce,
dans le cloître après Terce
that time I hoovered
the cloisters
deep in thought,
nel pensiero profondo
I mused on that death
and the after affect
and how it hurt me,
mi ha fatto male
the Italian monk said
to relate that my uncle
was one of Benito's followers
but we all make errors,
tous font des erreurs
to err is human
to forgive is divinus
the monk thin
and haunted looking,
I opened the breviary
and read
moving my finger
following the chant
in my ears,
the sky dark
sprinkled stars
I mused on
Pascal's fears.
Jan 30, 2017
Jan 30, 2017 at 1:29 PM UTC
From the cloisters
the moonlight created shadows
across the garth,
a monk pulled
the cloister bell
for supper,
Dio è vicino
e lontano
the Italian monk
said to me
in the workshop
repairing a chair,
Dom Charles took an apple
from the tree
and twisted it just so
it came away
in his hand
and he rubbed it
against his black habit
to a shine and said
that's how it is done,
Dom George machined
the habit seam
as I watched
his tonsured head
shone in
the overhead lamp,
le opere che si fanno
possono essere l'unico
sermone alcune persone
si sente oggi
Francesco d'Assisi said
so I read,
I take my place
in the refectory
stand there
waiting for grace
to begin
studying the wooden floor
and how the overhead lights
shone there,
hoc autem qui parce
seminat parce
et metet et qui
seminat in benedictionibus
et metet
Paul of Tarsus said
Dom Joe told me,
who sows little
reaps little
whoever sows much
shall reap much
I mused,
orange bricks
browny black
in moonlight,
bell tolled
against evening sky,
I walked the cloister
wondering why.
Jan 4, 2017
Jan 4, 2017 at 3:55 AM UTC
Ego in domo Dei,
the abbey on a hill
surrounded by high trees
the spire reaching
finger-like heavenward,
la natura dell'essere
the Italian monk said
dimostrato da Cristo,
I hoovered the cloisters
with the hoover
whereas old monks
swept with a big broom
for centuries
there efforts
took more time
but less noise,
Dom Charles showed
how to pluck apples
from the trees
and to save the fruit
undamaged by wrong picking
he said to me
late afternoon
before the office
of None,
she had me
where she wanted
and come she said
enter as a ship
into harbour or port
so I did,
Dieu sait tout
the French monk said
as we tidied book
in the large library
of the abbey,
ohne Gott sind
wir als nichts
the Austrian monk said
I listened to him
as we prepared the altar
for the Mass
and laid out
gowns for the priest-monks,
I lay on my bed
and watched
the sky colour change
from blue to dark blue
a bell tolling for Vespers,
necesse est dolor
de peccato non autem
infinita distractione
said St Bernard
so I read,
I wanted her
and tongued
her sweet valley
as she spread
her wings for me,
sauf nos propres pensées
il n'y a absolument
rien en notre pouvoir
said Gareth
quoting Descartes
as we walked
to the refectory
for lunch after
the office of sext,
incense in
the air I breathed
in the church
leftover from Mass
mixed with the smell
of baked bread,
a voice sounds near
or far off
inside my head.
Sep 11, 2016
Sep 11, 2016 at 11:03 AM UTC
Bell tower
against the afternoon sky
and the tolling of bells
for the office of None,
Domine *****
mea aperies,
the sun in the church
through high windows
pouring in the light
and we stood
chanting in Latin,
siamo come Dio
ci ha fatti
said the Italian monk
as he aided me
in the sacristy,
see I am as Eve
come enter my valley
she said and I obliged,
pray as if everything
depended on God
but work as if everything
depended on you
said Augustine(saint),
the feel of the rope
between hands
as we pulled down
to toll bells
for the office of Sext
George smiling
and I too,
Dieu se trouve dans
le silence the French monks said
as we walked
the abbey woodland
after lunch and birds sang
from high trees,
she peeled down her clothes
and revealed her soft fruit
partake she said,
Hugh stood in the shade
arms folded
gazing at the tree
in the garth
and the fruit it bore
still unpicked,
I polished the choir stalls
with a yellow duster
and red polish
the smell mingled
with incense
from mass that morning,
sprechen mit Gott
the Austrian monk said
as we walked
from the chapter house
one early evening
and I did but
was he listening?
I wondered,
perfect numbers are like
perfect men they
are very rare Gareth
said quoting Descartes
as we washed up
after supper
in the small room
by the kitchen,
my husband will never know
she said if you want to,
Deus qui possit ita
salvare te,
but I closed my ears
and even in the dark hours
I saw little light,
and I closed the shutters
to the departing day
and gazed at the Crucified
on the wall
above my bed
but small connection
to Christ in my head.
Jul 20, 2016
Jul 20, 2016 at 2:35 AM UTC
5.30am dawn
birdsong
smell of fresh flowers,
aperiam ***** mea,
Dom Joe rabbit-like
(affectionately) put
a finger to his lips
to remind me
of the Grand Silence
that was in
the refectory for breakfast,
she presented me
with her soft fruit
and said take
and enjoy,
the breviary
black and heavy
held in hands
looking for the Matins Office
Latin and plainsong,
ascoltare Dio
the Italian monk said
as I helped in
the abbey library
to sort books
dust off shelves,
Hugh thin faced said
all rings and personal items
must be left
in the care of the abbot
all that is
of the past must
be left behind,
the smell of polish
and old bricks
and the French
peasant monk(lay-brother)
walked along the aisle
of the church as if
across a muddy field
in his heavy black boots,
love with tenderness
not passion
wisdom not foolishness
and strength
(St) Bernard said
I read some place,
parler à Dieu
de ne pas lui
the French monk said
to me as I am with you
as we cleared grass
at the roadside
to the abbey,
smell of incense
in the church
before Terce after Mass
and closing the eyes
and breathing it in,
I wanted
to **** her fig
but she giggled too much
so just kissed her lips,
if you want
be a real seeker of truth
it is necessary
said Gareth
quoting Descartes
that once in your life
you doubt everything,
afternoon tea and biscuits
in the cloister garth
the trolley pushed
onto the lawn there
and chit-chat
and talk of the day,
during Compline
in the semi dark
as monks sang
the Regina Caeli
I stared at the high windows
and mused on her
naked and lying there
arms open
legs spread
that image seeped
into my head.
Jun 25, 2016
Jun 25, 2016 at 3:18 AM UTC
I went for an early morning shower
thinking the bell
in the abbey clock tower
had struck four
but after the shower
it tolled again four times
and I had got up too early
and so went back
to bed until five,
tempus et tempus,
the French monk weeded
the beds in the garden
his broad back bent
almost in two
I spoke but he looked
at me with his peasant eyes
and smiled,
take me from the rear she said
so I did and she said
her husband didn't understand
neither did I,
man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law
said saint Paul
I read it in that Bible
I'd bought in my home town,
bell tower so tall
and we rang the bells
to learn the way it was done
release the ropes
or you'll go to the top
Dom James said smiling,
amare Dio ed essere salvati
the Italian monk said
as we worked in the sacristy
before Sext and lunch,
the reader in the refectory
read about ****** Mary
he read in a monotone voice
his voice alone in the air
and we just sat there,
the higher one is placed
the more humbly one should walk
Gareth said quoting Cicero,
Dieu voit dans le cœur
the French monk told me
he was old and came over
from a French abbey in exile,
we made love as she wanted
to be loved her husband
was on a long trip with his lorry
and wouldn't be back until late,
loqui ad vos Deus scit
a monk said and George
who Latin told me
what he had said
while waiting
for Vespers to begin,
the huge table napkins
we wore during mealtimes
could have covered a bed
which made George smile
as we tucked them
around our necks,
fühlen Gott hier
a German monk said
pointing to his chest
then to his tonsured head,
that old monk Dom James told us
whom we helped last week
is no more
he is dead.
Jun 5, 2016
Jun 5, 2016 at 3:30 AM UTC