Poetry

Shaker vision art, sacred picture, some damage

to edges, paper, pen & ink with watercolor highlights:
a wheel of star, resembling a mill wheel turned by feathers;
dove, with wings outstretched, above two smaller doves,
labelled ‘Love’ and ‘Wisdom,’ each with a feather (or quill pen)
clutched in its beak; additional elements include figures
representing a lamp and fountain, clock with feathers as hands,
a lamb, lion, trumpet and harp; with border of scrolls and ‘received’
(non-alphabetic) script, signed ‘from Holy Mother Wisdom
Received 5th May1837, Willbur Woodson, Watervliet’              $120, 400

We are feathers in Sweet Mother’s breath
Rose petals on the wind
We shall know only earthbound death
Be reborn without Sin

So come ye as a newborn Lamb
Unto the Lion’s fold
And lay ye down in sweet sweet grass
Drink from Her fountain’s gold

Now bow your head and walk beneath
Dear Mother’s Holy Bower
And ye shall see the wonders of
Her Garden all in Flower

Oh treasure up these Heav’nly things
To thy Soul ‘twill comfort bring
For through much suffering you must go
‘Fore you leave the dark below

Ours is the place of Holy Peace
Blessed by our Mother Wisdom
And here Her Lamp shall never cease
To light us to Her true pure Heav’nly Kingdom

So lift ye Sisters voices all
Come Brothers to The Dance
We shall be Mother’s Righteous Flock
And find the Light at last

Kelley White

Pediatrician Kelley White has worked in inner city Philadelphia and rural New Hampshire. Her poems have appeared in Exquisite Corpse, Rattle and JAMA. Her recent book is Two Birds in Flame (Beech River Books). She received a 2008 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant.

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