Saint Katherine

(Angel)

------------------------To John "Katherine" Laughlin

Last night I dreamed of an angel.
He spoke to me in a whisper.
How can I forget you?
We are all sick with death.

He had long hair, feathers
Covered his arms, and a lively smile.
What took you so long?
Finally, you are here.

He gave me what no one else
Will ever pretend to discover.
But now I am completely different
And this is all for the better.

I woke up and the yellow sun
Blinked at its own reflection.
You introduced yourself, and
Your name remains Saint Katherine.

The angel sat down and moved the chair
Towards a desk of ancient mahogany
Starting to jot down hastily
Guidelines for saving the world.
And I couldn’t help noticing
How he held his quill so tenderly
Though it was taken from out of his wings
By the rabid wind behind the windowpanes.

Having finished, he turned around
Held my hands in his and with intent
Looked at me non-judgmentally
And in my heart I heard Rachmaninoff.
Suddenly on my eyelashes
I felt golden ripples reflecting light
Mother of all, Saint Katherine,
How do I help your weariness?
“Trust,” said to me the blissful one
Angel, immersed in love totally,
“I will be near, since from now on
Katherine Love you are to me.”
And with red ribbons he wrapped me so
Tightly and came so close to me,
That suddenly I recognized: it’s her!
And light flooded into my cramped room,
And healed it from its dim eternity.

Angel, oh Angel,
You and I
Are one and the same –
Saint Katherine!



March 1, 2006