Wednesday, November 7, 2012

A curtain torn




I take my shower in a bathroom small
there is no vent so
the steam
it billows and rolls
about the space                    

the hot water
pricks
my skin
and it is at once
pain
and
pleasure

Here
in this private space
I practice
once again
the dance of
love
and
hate

I try
desperately
to scrub away the proof
of my erring ways
the fact that
I have lived on sugar and chocolate
for the last
seven days

And it is confusing
because the act of putting
hand to mouth
is supposed to be
sacred
but I seem to always
ruin it

It is the nakedness
I think
that hollers loud
The baring
wide open and needy
that
renders me
undone

And I murmur prayer words
but they get lost
in the rushing
and I can’t escape
my skin
ever

The water
it washes over
my shell
this casing that
houses my
soul
and
I know that it
is a temple
but I
don’t believe it

I shut off
the flowing cataract
stand silent
and
brooding

I step out
of that
confessional
the one
that sometimes
spins dizzy
and it happens

In that moment
the curtain
is
torn
in
two
and I stand
foot bare
on
holy ground

For
John baptized
in the desert places
and
even if there is still
sand between my toes
I can now speak
the tongue of
saints


Linking with Emily



25 comments:

  1. oh my mercy, the wonder in your words. You use that God gift so beautifully, my friend. wrapping you with words of peace from a long way away.

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  2. very beautiful, Holly. I do the same thing in the shower. I struggle with how to treat my body well, how to love it, forgive it, thank it. It does so many things well, and yet it never seems to be enough for me. I am so demanding. Thanks for the thoughts.

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  3. This is a great narrative of redemption. The not-so-good moments are worth it, even if just to see the glory after the curtain is torn, eh?

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  4. I, too, shower in a room without vent. But I've never seen that fogged up room as beautifully as you...

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  5. I can't even begin to tell you why this blew me away... But it did... In so many different spots.

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  6. I also shower in a room with no vent, my confessional, my sanctuary with knees to rusted cast iron I pray heavy......so glad I am not alone.

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  7. I can feel your peace, even now. Thank you, friend.

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  8. Oh Kit, yes. Why is it so hard to see our bodies as God does? Praying that we will both embrace grace.

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  9. Ah, yes, the glory. I can scarcely catch my breath when it is revealed. Thank you for your kind words here.

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  10. Thank you, Deidra. Thank you.

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  11. Donna,
    Thank you for meeting me here and for your kind words.

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  12. I, too, am so glad that I am not alone. Grateful to hear your words of knowing, here, in this space.

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  13. Oh, Holly, you weave words and soul stirrings together so well. Beautiful.

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  14. You weave words beautifully.

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  15. Annie, thank you friend.

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  16. Elizabeth,
    Thank you for your kind words.

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  17. This: I know that it
    is a temple
    but I
    don’t believe it
    Uh-huh. Yes. Amen. BIG problem for many years now. I know it - but I don't believe it and I don't live it very well. . . at all. This is lovely lovely lovely. And true true true. Thank you.

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  18. We are here to help each other believe it, don't you think?

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  19. Yes'm, I do believe it. Help thou my unbelief, friend.

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  20. the casing that houses my soul....profound, true, so hard to grasp as you have so aptly described

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  21. so glad to have you in this space, Kathleen. thank you.

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  22. oh girl. i love this so much. yes, the act of eating is meant to be sacred... you are so right. i would love to use this on my ED blog sometime; would that be okay? if so, could you email it to me? (wierenga.emily@gmail.com) love you friend. e.

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  23. Emily,
    I know you know, friend. I would be honored for you to use it, however you would like. Thank you for loving me so well.

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