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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Since Grade School

Stained Glass Window - Photo taken in St. Mary's Church, Schulenberg, TX

In a dark cracked mirror
My stained glass face reflected

Universal piety in an empty choir loft.
Visions appeared before me

Vaults of goodness
Chambers of quiet

Gifts of saintly insight.
Pretending to wear a wimple

I beheld piercing eyes
That preached responsibility.

I saw a Mother Superior there
Learning and making rules her order

At that moment I rebelled against myself.
 Balancing carefully

Each choice its own precipice
I dared nature, faith and fate.

With every glance in that mirror
I decided to break the rules. 


© Gay Reiser Cannon All Rights Reserved  
Posted by at

35 comments:

  1. Brian MillerOctober 26, 2010 at 4:12 PM

    love the stained glass face...
    and i am a rule breaker as well...smiles.

    nice one shot!

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  2. anthonynorthOctober 26, 2010 at 4:14 PM

    The harder the rules the more freedom we grasp by breaking them. Nicely said.

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  3. ShellOctober 26, 2010 at 4:25 PM

    "I decided to break the rules."
    Let's be friends ;)

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  4. Steve IsaakOctober 26, 2010 at 4:26 PM

    I suspect that many of us had that "epiphany" moment when our true selves - free of rules that others imposed on us - became apparent, began to take hold.

    Exemplary work, with mulilevel imagery.

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  5. moondustwriterOctober 26, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    Walking to the beat of a different drummer. I'm sure many of us can relate.

    Even poetry breaks rules
    Smiles from the Moon for a friend

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  6. Desert RoseOctober 26, 2010 at 4:48 PM

    well, rules are made to be broken dear..that's to say the least..it is the harder they are the greater we feel breaking them..:) nice image..:) cheers :)

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  7. Michael PerkinsOctober 26, 2010 at 4:50 PM

    You have no idea how much I appreciate this one.

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  8. Kodjo DeynooOctober 26, 2010 at 5:04 PM

    rule breakers, One shot

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  9. tuberiderOctober 26, 2010 at 5:07 PM

    Strangely powerful poem. Well done.

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  10. AnonymousOctober 26, 2010 at 5:14 PM

    Oh Gay this was absolutely beautiful and haunting! Lovely one shot x

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  11. TimoteoOctober 26, 2010 at 5:22 PM

    And we are all better for it!

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  12. AnonymousOctober 26, 2010 at 5:31 PM

    As usual beautiful write Gay. And having gone to an Anglican Boys school I can relate to this. Love and Light, Sender

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  13. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 5:45 PM

    Brian - glad you liked that stained-glass face. That was a last minute edit - (smile)

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  14. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 5:48 PM

    Anthony - someday I'll write that "freedom song" - a recurrent theme in my life. On my first trip to Britain, I came to many realizations about freedom. Quite a paradox for a Texas girl- each turn and every decision limits and restricts one's freedom. Knowing that and realizing it are two different things! Thanks for your comments & coming by!

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  15. Dulçe ♥October 26, 2010 at 5:50 PM

    Breaking the rules is not bad. I broke mine by going to mass last Sunday... it felt great!

    Great one shot
    ;)

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  16. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 5:52 PM

    Shell - absolutely !

    Steve - Thank you for such generous and kind words. It's probably the most revealing poem I've put up here.

    Leslie - Don't we often find ourselves quoting Thoreau? Losing pace with our companions...that would be me for sure :)

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  17. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 5:57 PM

    I am gratified to be in the company of eccentrics and freedom lovers. I yearn for friends who exult in his/her own particular differences. It is these differences that define the things we love in one another -
    Thank you all for coming by and commenting!

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  18. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    Dulce - I occasionally do that too. Thanks for your words and coming by.

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  19. AsobimeOctober 26, 2010 at 7:11 PM

    Oh crap...I lost my comment.

    This is a Lovely, deep, dark and delicious and evocative poem...more than a poem...an affirmation....and one that perhaps we all face at one time or another (mine came when I kicked a mean nun) and we forget. Or we reaffirm over and over.

    Wonderful piece...hauntingly universal.

    Lady Nyo

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  20. BeachannyOctober 26, 2010 at 7:24 PM

    Lady Nyo - I hate when I lose comments. It makes me CRAZY! But thank you for those words. I admire you - somehow I didn't have the chutzpah to kick the nun who announced I would definitely be going straight to hell. I guess I'm taking the slow route (ha). Thanks for coming by. Appreciate all comments. Gay @beachanny

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  21. Ben LanghinrichsOctober 26, 2010 at 7:37 PM

    Wonderful description of the fleeting temptation to walk the straight and narrow overwhelmed by a need to carve your own path. (I love the stained glass face as well.)

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  22. AnonymousOctober 26, 2010 at 8:52 PM

    Breaking rules is all it's cracked up to be. ;)

    I loved

    My stained glass face reflected
    Universal piety in an empty choir loft.

    ...shades of my own past I read in your poem.

    Thank you!

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  23. Shashidhar SharmaOctober 27, 2010 at 2:32 AM

    Great imagery to break the rule.. I liked it.. thanks

    ॐ नमः शिवाय
    Om Namah Shivaya
    Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
    Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

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  24. JerryOctober 27, 2010 at 7:31 AM

    Mother superior is ocassionaly inferior. Nice One.

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  25. AnonymousOctober 27, 2010 at 10:47 AM

    Very nice sentiments, the real way to live life--never give in, make your own path!

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  26. PattiKenOctober 27, 2010 at 1:12 PM

    Oh, yes, I stood right there, in the choir loft, and made the same decision. But I must admit, it wasn't the nuns who pushed me to it. It was the pervasive hypocrisy. Rule breakers move the world forward. Very nice, Gay.

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  27. ClaudiaOctober 27, 2010 at 2:32 PM

    i loved the stained glass face..think it's good to rebel against things we don't understand...was quite a rebel myself during my teenage years (my parents could write books....no nice ones...)
    great poem gay!

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  28. BelindaOctober 27, 2010 at 2:57 PM

    This is so resonant to me having grown up in Catholic schools. Nothing like a Mother Superior with a missing heart and a rule-by-fear mentality to turn one into a rebel.

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  29. TALONOctober 27, 2010 at 10:53 PM

    The more strict the atmosphere, the more I rebel...it's just my nature, I think. I like this poem so much...it obviously sparks something in all your readers :)

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  30. MonaOctober 28, 2010 at 12:56 AM

    Haven't we all done that since the time of Adam and Eve ;D !

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  31. BrokenpenwriterOctober 28, 2010 at 1:24 AM

    This made me smile; Why is breaking the rules so delightful? I don't know, but it is. And so is your One Shot poem. Well Done!

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  32. BeachannyOctober 28, 2010 at 10:56 AM

    Hi Y'all - Interesting your "takes" on this poem. Each one seems to have just a slightly different interpretation of it. I love that. I think it fairly successful due to your wonderful comments. Each of you interprets it in your own way. Thanks for coming by! Gay

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  33. MarshyOctober 29, 2010 at 3:16 PM

    i bet you did break them....but i would never believe in a malicious way...you are a wonderful soul..cheers pete

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  34. the wid0wNovember 9, 2010 at 10:50 PM

    twice as nice :-) as always ;-)

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  35. Don CarloDecember 2, 2010 at 5:47 AM

    WHAT rules?

    Your work is exemplary, right from real life, real people. Love those stained glasses.
    C

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