• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Laura Jean Truman

  • Home
  • Spiritual Direction
  • Preaching
  • Essays
  • Queer + Jesus
  • About

7 Gratitudes: Poems from the Monastery

April 7, 2017 by Laura Jean 3 Comments

I was grateful for how

1) Two Crows

two crows watched me,
disinterested in my good intentions,
unimpressed by my breakneck good will.
They carry on, while I work so hard to worship
be centered, be more present, hear the Holy.

We carry on, side by side, me doing my work
which I understand to be
Very Hard Work (Worship Is A Serious Business)
And they do their work,
hanging out in an old chestnut tree,
eyeing supplicants grabbing for The Holy.

I’d like to spend more time sitting in chestnut trees,
shrugging my shoulders at the frantic Pursuit of God,
because my work is just sitting,
knowing that all will be well, and all will be well,
even if I don’t fix it,
or make it so.

2. Unsweet Tea

I was so thirsty;
she gave me free tea.

3. Mowing Grass

So much for peace and quiet and centeredness and
listening to the Divine talk and hearing the Holy Spirit because
how am I supposed to silence the chatter in my head when there is a
goddamn lawnmower right outside this chapel for goodness sake I did
not come here to find more of the clutter and chaos and distractions of Ordinary Life and
here I am kneeling trying to be still but all I can hear is whiring and crunching and motors but

damn the grass smells nice.

4. Buy All The Books

In which I try to justify
Spending money set aside for tithes
On a brand new set
Of books about Monks.
Well,
Just one couldn’t hurt.

5. Warning Sign

“Warning! Long Trail Ahead!
Do Not Travel Without
Sunscreen
Cell Phone
Water
And a Travel Buddy!”

I don’t need your rules, Sign,
and I am going to walk this trail
without any of those things because
I don’t need anything but these
two feet.

Sometimes rules keep us
from getting dehydrated
and lonely
though.

6. Sun

It would be so bitterly cold today,
spring deciding to take a quick nap before
getting out of bed for good,
except that every once in awhile,
the sun reminds me that
she’s still there.

7. The Wind Blows the Door Open

Standing outside, thinking about going inside
Trying to read the fine print on the sign without getting too close
Am I allowed in?
What if I Get In Trouble?
But when the wind blows the door open,
just go in.

On Friday, For The Birds and Leanna Coyle-Carr hosts a 7 Gratitudes post,
where we can name and celebrate how we’ve been grateful in the past week.
Join us and #LinkUp!

Like this:

Like Loading...

About Laura Jean

I’m a recovering fundamentalist and a New England transplant learning how to put down deep roots in the Deep South. Follow me: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Like this post?

Get every one of my posts sent straight to your inbox! Just enter your email below:

Footer

About Laura Jean

Laura Jean is an Atlanta based writer, itinerant chaplain, and amateur mystic, learning to live in the in-between places of queerness, loving Jesus, and rediscovering the Bible after fundamentalism.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Subscribe via Email

Don't miss a post! Subscribe below to get each new post sent directly to your inbox.

Popular Posts

You Made Us Look Foolish: On Eugene Peterson and Hope

July 14, 2017 By Laura Jean

Postcard from the Wilderness: Remembering World Vision

August 31, 2017 By Laura Jean

Mary Consoles Eve: Two Voices [Advent]

December 11, 2017 By Laura Jean

Topics

Copyright © 2025 Laura Jean Truman · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nathanial Totten Green

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d