(adobe church in New Mexico, image by Kenneth White, on Pixabay)
The Rosary Tree In an old pueblo church's garden, stands a small mesquite tree, a bench, and a grotto
protecting the Blessed Mother statue.
The tree was festooned with many rosaries.
Sunlight reflected like tears on the beads. Large and small, colored stones and crystals,
hand made and elaborate, they hung as silent witnesses. A long, black-beaded one
for the father who prayed on his way to work.
Smooth, polished wooden beads
for the mother who prayed on her morning walks. Two small, first communion rosaries
were interwoven
for the twins who received them as gifts. I watched as a teenager stood up
from the bench
and placed her rosary composed of rose quartz
on a high limb of the mesquite. I asked her, "Who are your prayers for?" She quietly replied, "For my abuela. Her name was Rosita." This tree of memories
of lost friends, neighbors, and family
has grown heavy with the prayers and memories
of them this year.
___________________
Carol Farnsworth is an artist and writes poems and short essays on the light side of living with blindness. Her writings have appeared in The Avocet, Magnets and Ladders, Plum Tree Tavern, The Handy Uncapped Pen, and the Blind Perspective. Carol was born with glaucoma and has experienced decreased vision all her life. She has had no vision for the last five years. Carol lives with her husband John. They ride a tandem bike to enjoy nature. Carol gets her inspiration for her nature poetry from these rides.
May 2021 issue
Comments