"Easter Reflection" A Poem by April O'Leary, RSCJ

Sacred Heart of Jesus Statue - Bloomfield Hills, MI

High on the clean and wind-washed hills
Christ in His beauty stands
And looks on the jewel He loves to hold
In His sheltering and nail-pierced hands

The rustling tree-tops softly stir
in whispering and hushed surprise
the flowers at His feet look up and see
their reflection in Love’s own eyes.

Lovely the wind in the pale smooth grass,
and the hills in their shadow filled folds,
and lovely the light on the tumbled clouds
that reflects on the jewel He holds.

Christ in His radiance walks the woods
and looks on His house with love
and the peace of his passing lingers long
in the wind smoothed hills above.

                                ---Poem written in 1949 by April O'Leary, RSCJ (1922-2013)

Province of England - Wales

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.  If you have a favorite poem written by an alum or RSCJ that you would like to share, please send to AASH PAST PRESIDENT MER

"Sixth Station" A Poem by Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ

Taken from the book "Smile the Sun Around My Heart"
The Collection of Poems of Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ.

Sixth Station

The dark has lifted

for a moment now,

and film of dirt and sweat,

blurring His eye focus

to make crazy patterns on the road,

he cleared.

Too cool clean cloth

feels sweet against His face -

He remembers His mother

had the same gentleness in her touch

when she had washed from Him

the grime a child's play made,

these many years ago,

and held a fresh white towel

close. This towel, too He sees 

is white.

The road no longer blurs

and rocks before His eyes.

He tries to smile a little 

across the pain that cracks His lips,

and hands the woman's kerchief

back to her.

His dark eyes look, then, into hers.

He leaves remembrance

of HIs gratitude indelible

upon her towel's whiteness, and carries

indelible upon His Heart

Veronica's gentle act of courtesy.

~   Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ

Note: Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.  Today's blog post is a poem taken from the book "Smile the Sun Around My Heart" The Collection of Poems of Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ.  Sr. Marheineke (1917-2013) was a 1934 alumna of the Academy of Saint Charles.  If you wish to purchase a copy of Sr. Marheineke's collection of poems look under the heading on the right "Books by Sacred Heart Alum Authors" and click on the link to her book.

Trees - A poem by April O'Leary, RSCJ

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton Campus

Trees have a way
of teaching us the deepest things.
Seasonally, quietly, they demonstrate their truths.

You must endure,
(trees say) bow down, give way, accept
when from the North ice-laden winds oppress.

You must release
what you with year-long love watched slowly grow,
when at the summer's end green leaves turn sere.

The darkest times
these are, watching your hope's fulfilment drift away,
when all the best you strove for, you renounce.

- But then, trees say,
think of that rare delight when buds, in Spring, define
on desiccated boughs their glory once again.

Written in 1968 by April O'Leary , RSCJ (1922-2013)

Province of England - Wales

Easter Verse - A Poem by Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ

Beautiful Golden Yellow Jonquils

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.  Today's blog post is a poem taken from the book "Smile the Sun Around My Heart" The Collection of Poems of Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ.  Sr. Marheineke is a 1934 alumna of the Academy of Saint Charles and currently resides in California at the Oakwood Retirement Community. 

Easter Verse

Early this morning
a jonquil bloomed.
Such glory gazed 
from its golden cup.
I knew at once
the sun was up.
Amazed, 
I gathered flower and sun,
held them a moment 
in the shining grace of one
holy mystery of light.
So must Easter be
in its bright
blaze of resurrected Life.

--- Anna Mae Marheineke, RSCJ

Note:  If you wish to purchase a copy of Sr. Marheineke's collection of poems look under the heading on the right "Books by Sacred Heart Alum Authors" and click on the link to her book.