Grotto
Place of beauty Moment of bliss Birds singing Sound of the Grotto In May I am fifteen Nearly innocent again Almost recovered From breaking down Still bruised But breathing Passing through the gap From the rocky fields Of play to churchyard prayer Entering the gateway To paradise beneath A canopy of fresh green Oasis in the desert Deep pool where raging Rapid waters cease Five stone steps To ascend Five mysteries Joy Sorrow Glory I am on my knees In unhurried prayer Making this refuge last Fending off the future As long as I can "Will you mind me?" I wonder On the sixth step I am Bernadette silently Looking up to Mary Looking higher still The ultimate ascent That I have yearned for Since first I left it But now I must descend again To the old priest's grave And run for a further Wordless glance to Jesus In the sanctuary The sound of the ticking Pendulum clock Reminding me of an old Kitchen telling me its time