Nora's Angel
Musings While Trying to Get an Active Toddler to Sleep
I WROTE THIS POEM FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS NEW TO DAYCARE AND TRYING TO GET A HYPER-VIGILANT TODDLER TO SLEEP DURING NAP TIME. I HAD BEEN STRUCK BY A STORY ABOUT THE NEED TO OPEN THE LARGE CATHEDRAL DOORS IN NEW YORK CITY TO ALLOW AN ELEPHANT TO RECEIVE A BLESSING ON ST. FRANCIS'S FEAST DAY!
Nora and I lie in the darkened womb room of naptime,
Envisioning sharks and elephants and celestial beings...
And I catch a glimpse of Nora's guardian angel
In shades of rosy pink..
Like a winter sunset in a cold, clear Pennsylvania sky.
Yes, Nora's angel....
Birthed from the pages of Ezekiel....
Wheels within wheels with thousands of vigilant eyes...
Like an antique clockwork
Or Nora's blue eyes intently studying the workings of wheels
On plastic toy cars and trucks...
Engineering runs in her bloodline.
And I am certain that Nora's angel
Oversaw the construction of the great cathedral door
Opened for the elephant to lumber into the sanctuary
Of the big city church
And that Nora herself
Would have realized that her gray friend's great dimensions
Exceeded the size of the common entrance.
The huge cathedral doors were thrown open
For the great beast's triumphal entry
And blessing on the Feast of St. Francis!
I am certain that Nora's angel's voice trumpets
Like the great elephant
And shakes the ground
Whenever danger threatens.
Just as I am sure that sharks swim through
The liquid folds of her angel's garments....
Strong and primordial...
Like Nora's iron will.
...Or maybe the angel transforms into "Crackers"
The friendly elephant with the pink saddle and stirrups
The one Nora rides on flights of fancy.
Finally, I look up and behold Nora's angel taking flight,
Feather wings, white as snow, brush the child's cheek
As she finally succumbs to peaceful sleep.
About the Creator
Julia Schulz
I enjoy crafting poetry and telling stories. I especially love being in the "zone" when I take a deep dive with my subject matter, developing characters and settings and researching topics like history and sustainable living.
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