"Women Praying in the Porch" by Mieczyslaw Reyzner‘Prayerwise’ and Other Poetry by Monika Cooper The Society November 19, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 22 Comments . Prayerwise for Gloria (1934-2013) Tough, keen, opinionated, shrewd:Collected junk, shared what she foundWith those who shared her roof and food,With those who shared her daily round. She prayed her daily round of beads.She loved the ancient Latin Rite,The Athanasian among creeds,Allied with Michael in the fight. Her children chose religious life —At least most did. It was the strictStrange convents, often found in strifeWith mainstream Catholics that they picked. And when they laid their mom to restThe casket’s hinged half-open lidFrom head to foot was pinkly dressedWith roses, prayerwise garlanded. . . Bear of God for Fr. Arvydas (1958-2011) __As tall as God’s own bear,Robed in a cassock, weighing in his handsA golden rosary, immense and rare,____He led the way__To where the cemetery stands,Led the procession to the dead’s abodeDown the brown broad autumnal road____That All Souls’ Day. __Then they recalled how he,Ignoring the officials with the hearseWho moved the sheet where he had marked the cross,____Formed it again__Directly on the coffin’s wood,Let the dirt trickle from his massive paw,Then paced into the hills to pray, withdraw,____Head wet with rain. . . Monika Cooper is an American family woman. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 22 Responses Julian D. Woodruff November 19, 2023 2 striking memorials, Monika. Archbp. Bergoglio recently regretted strife among Catholics (“Prayerwise”). Now even consistent critics of the pope are starting to think of (some?) orthodox Catholics as at odds with the true Church. Maybe the contention would subside if there were more priests like your Fr. Arvydas. Reply Julian D. Woodruff November 19, 2023 That should be Archbp. Bergoglio (US Military Chaplain). Reply Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you, Julian, and thank you for the introduction to Archbishop Broglio. I don’t know if you’ve also noticed but there seems to be a multiplication of slips-of-the-tongue lately, some of them really troubling. I think our language is being attacked on multiple fronts and the imp of the perverse is having a field day. All the more reason for us to write poems that are as clear and prismatic as we can make them. I hardly knew Fr. Arvydas but that didn’t matter. I’ll never forget him. There are few like him but each is a light in the darkness. Reply Julian D. Woodruff November 21, 2023 Since the error in my response has not been corrected (auto-correct triumphs again) maybe I’ll just refer to people by initials and context will tell readers whether B means Biden, Bergoglio, or maybe Byron. Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 P. S. Please pray for their sweet souls. Reply Julian D. Woodruff November 19, 2023 Broglio! Beiglio! Reply Daniel Kemper November 19, 2023 These carefully, prayerfully crafted little gems caught and held my attention. I’m not a Catholic, but have a chosen-brother who is, and the first poem’s ending in roses reminded me distinctly of a miracle he actually witnessed/was part of. –Just after long, difficult prayer work with a saint, in the car on the way back in the dead of a San Antonio winter, the car filled with the overwhelming scent of roses. Others in the car caught it too. That’s her calling card, the saint. Anyway, I love the balance, pace, precision of these poems. Looking for more of your work! Reply Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you so much, Daniel. Beautiful miracle story. Was your brother’s saint Little Therese, by any chance? Reply Roy Eugene Peterson November 19, 2023 Those are two preciously crafted prayerful homages for those who made a difference in life. I can feel your abiding love for them and admiration for how they lived. You touched me with your caring for them in your classically rhymed poetry. Reply Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you, Roy! Their memories called for classical forms. Reply James Sale November 19, 2023 Yes, I agree with the comments of others: these are wonderfully crafted pieces, and the craft creates a touching sincerity seemingly beyond artifice. Well done. Reply Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you, James. I’m glad you were touched by these. Reply Brian A. Yapko November 19, 2023 I love both of these poems, Monika. They broke my heart a little. Reply Monika Cooper November 20, 2023 Aw, thank you, Brian. These are people from my “village.” Reply Margaret Coats November 19, 2023 Lovely pair of portraits for November, Monika, each redolent with the odor of sanctity. May they rest in peace. Each poem has precisely beautiful ending lines. The conclusion for the priest implies his identity as “another Christ,” withdrawing to pray alone. Reply Monika Cooper November 20, 2023 Margaret, you would pick up on the Gospel allusion there and I’m very glad you did. I wanted this poem to point to Christ as one particular priest made him present. I wrote to Julian above that “there are few like him” but, as I kept naming and remembering them to myself, I began to see again the stars between the stars. The fact is, that the stars among our priests are mostly invisible until we start to try to count them. Thank you for your comment here in the midst of so much else. As ever, it means a lot to me. Reply Margaret Coats November 20, 2023 You are right, Monica. As “other Christs,” good priests are stars placed among us, but often unnoticed. Each is an individual, but they reflect the same image. Happy thanksgiving! Monika Cooper November 22, 2023 Happy thanksgiving, Margaret! The Lord has done all things abundantly. C.B. Anderson November 20, 2023 As always, Monika, you manage to dig deep into the heart of matters, which is exactly what I would expect from “an American family woman.” Stay with us, because your words ring truer than most, and we would be diminished without them. Reply Monika Cooper November 20, 2023 Thank you for your words, C. B. It’s such a honor to ride with you and the other poets here. May our words ring ever truer and we be made ever more perfect instruments. Because the world needs the truth! Reply Sally Cook November 21, 2023 Dear Monika – It is so true that we are lacking in any sort of truth today. IOnce, in high school I felt an overwhelming feeling one of my best one of my best teachers would teacher would never return to the classroom I knew this because at that moment the room fill ed with a surfeit of ee3licate the odor of roses. I took s truth, which it was.======= Your poems have that ring of truth about. rhe . was an overwhelming Reply Monika Cooper November 22, 2023 Thank you, Sally. Strange moment that must have been, knowing your teacher would not be back, but seems like there was a blessing in it. There’s a blessing in the breath of roses, even and especially when you can’t see them. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Julian D. Woodruff November 19, 2023 2 striking memorials, Monika. Archbp. Bergoglio recently regretted strife among Catholics (“Prayerwise”). Now even consistent critics of the pope are starting to think of (some?) orthodox Catholics as at odds with the true Church. Maybe the contention would subside if there were more priests like your Fr. Arvydas. Reply
Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you, Julian, and thank you for the introduction to Archbishop Broglio. I don’t know if you’ve also noticed but there seems to be a multiplication of slips-of-the-tongue lately, some of them really troubling. I think our language is being attacked on multiple fronts and the imp of the perverse is having a field day. All the more reason for us to write poems that are as clear and prismatic as we can make them. I hardly knew Fr. Arvydas but that didn’t matter. I’ll never forget him. There are few like him but each is a light in the darkness. Reply
Julian D. Woodruff November 21, 2023 Since the error in my response has not been corrected (auto-correct triumphs again) maybe I’ll just refer to people by initials and context will tell readers whether B means Biden, Bergoglio, or maybe Byron.
Daniel Kemper November 19, 2023 These carefully, prayerfully crafted little gems caught and held my attention. I’m not a Catholic, but have a chosen-brother who is, and the first poem’s ending in roses reminded me distinctly of a miracle he actually witnessed/was part of. –Just after long, difficult prayer work with a saint, in the car on the way back in the dead of a San Antonio winter, the car filled with the overwhelming scent of roses. Others in the car caught it too. That’s her calling card, the saint. Anyway, I love the balance, pace, precision of these poems. Looking for more of your work! Reply
Monika Cooper November 19, 2023 Thank you so much, Daniel. Beautiful miracle story. Was your brother’s saint Little Therese, by any chance? Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson November 19, 2023 Those are two preciously crafted prayerful homages for those who made a difference in life. I can feel your abiding love for them and admiration for how they lived. You touched me with your caring for them in your classically rhymed poetry. Reply
James Sale November 19, 2023 Yes, I agree with the comments of others: these are wonderfully crafted pieces, and the craft creates a touching sincerity seemingly beyond artifice. Well done. Reply
Brian A. Yapko November 19, 2023 I love both of these poems, Monika. They broke my heart a little. Reply
Margaret Coats November 19, 2023 Lovely pair of portraits for November, Monika, each redolent with the odor of sanctity. May they rest in peace. Each poem has precisely beautiful ending lines. The conclusion for the priest implies his identity as “another Christ,” withdrawing to pray alone. Reply
Monika Cooper November 20, 2023 Margaret, you would pick up on the Gospel allusion there and I’m very glad you did. I wanted this poem to point to Christ as one particular priest made him present. I wrote to Julian above that “there are few like him” but, as I kept naming and remembering them to myself, I began to see again the stars between the stars. The fact is, that the stars among our priests are mostly invisible until we start to try to count them. Thank you for your comment here in the midst of so much else. As ever, it means a lot to me. Reply
Margaret Coats November 20, 2023 You are right, Monica. As “other Christs,” good priests are stars placed among us, but often unnoticed. Each is an individual, but they reflect the same image. Happy thanksgiving!
Monika Cooper November 22, 2023 Happy thanksgiving, Margaret! The Lord has done all things abundantly.
C.B. Anderson November 20, 2023 As always, Monika, you manage to dig deep into the heart of matters, which is exactly what I would expect from “an American family woman.” Stay with us, because your words ring truer than most, and we would be diminished without them. Reply
Monika Cooper November 20, 2023 Thank you for your words, C. B. It’s such a honor to ride with you and the other poets here. May our words ring ever truer and we be made ever more perfect instruments. Because the world needs the truth! Reply
Sally Cook November 21, 2023 Dear Monika – It is so true that we are lacking in any sort of truth today. IOnce, in high school I felt an overwhelming feeling one of my best one of my best teachers would teacher would never return to the classroom I knew this because at that moment the room fill ed with a surfeit of ee3licate the odor of roses. I took s truth, which it was.======= Your poems have that ring of truth about. rhe . was an overwhelming Reply
Monika Cooper November 22, 2023 Thank you, Sally. Strange moment that must have been, knowing your teacher would not be back, but seems like there was a blessing in it. There’s a blessing in the breath of roses, even and especially when you can’t see them. Reply