In the confessional, I brought my cross to bear
to an intermediary, the wrongs my heart needed
to declare. With profound remorse and a sense of despair
the words stung my tongue as I sat flooded with grief
while I cinched up my Spirit with the beads tightly
clenched within the palms of my penitent hands.
The priest listened without uttering a sound with folded hands.
With a deep conviction, I sought his compassion to bear
my troubled soul to relieve me from what held me tightly.
Hopefully, seeking redemption, which my heart needed.
My wrongs have rung my twisted heart tighter with grief
Then I heard the Priest mutter; I hear your despair.
He then prayed, "Mother embrace this man's despair
From my heart, I turn this petitioner into your hands.
Remove the pangs of heartfelt troubles and grief.
For the wrongs he professes are more than he can bear.
It is his soul where forgiveness and his comfort are needed
So, it is I pray that in your embrace, please hold him tightly."
Then a bright light came forth, and I felt held tightly,
And in an instant, away dropped my feeling of despair.
I suddenly understood I was given what was needed.
In my minds-eye, I saw the open palm of Her hands
while aglow was her face, Peace and Grace her gifts, to bear
forth the fruit of redemption and release from grief.
Forget about the need to wallow in the throes of grief,
Go straight to your Source, hold tightly
to the Knowing that it was He who took over your cross to bear
the wrongs, shortcomings, trials, troubles, and despair.
His promise was, Jesus will support us in His Hands,
When we make the call, Father, "it is I, and Your forgiveness is needed."
Make your petitions known to Father, Mother, God as needed.
Let not the seconds turn to minutes then to hours carrying grief.
But, put all your needs, wants and sorrows, and defects in Their hands.
Then, with great anticipation, knowing that you are held tightly,
no longer must you shuffle in the muck of sadness or despair,
and never, not ever, will you confront more than you will be able to bear!
For me, the confessional is needed where I feel I can cocoon tightly,
exploring the cause of grief that brings me down at the level of despair.
While in the palm of my hands ... I hold in respectful embrace the cross I bear.
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Author Notes
The sestina is a strict-ordered form of poetry, dating back to twelfth-century French troubadours. It consists of six six-line (sestets) stanzas followed by a three-line envoy. Rather than use a rhyme scheme, the six ending words of the first stanza are repeated as the ending words of the other five stanzas in a set pattern. The envoy uses two of the ending words per line, again in a set pattern.
First stanza, ..1 ..2 ..3 ..4 ..5 ..6
Second stanza, ..6 ..1 ..5 .. 2 ..4 ..3
Third stanza, ..3 ..6 ..4 ..1 ..2 ..5
Fourth stanza, ..5 ..3 ..2 ..6 ..1 ..4
Fifth stanza, ..4 ..5 ..1 ..3 ..6 ..2
Sixth stanza, ..2 ..4 ..6 ..5 ..3 ..1
Concluding tercet:
middle of first line ..2, end of first line ..5
middle of second line ..4, end of second line..3
middle if third line ..6, end of third line ..1
Thanks for the use of Grandmother's Rosary by meg119 on FanArtReview.com
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