Just Juggle Words

For you the clown knelt gladly down, and yet
he had no gift to offer to you now,
so he just juggled there, worked up a sweat,
alive, you used your veil to wipe his brow.*

His motto “Totus Tuus,” St. John Paul
placed his assassin’s bullet in your crown,
“All yours,” he said, for you he gave his all,
your Son made him a saint of great renown.**

What can I give to you for Christ your Son?
I have no juggling gift for you to see,
I’ll share what skill is mine when all is done,
just juggle words and write you poetry.

Perhaps in spiritual ways and by God’s grace,
your statue will bend down to wipe my face.

* St. Barnabas, a humble monk in the Middle Ages.
** “Totus Tuus, Maria” was his motto and he gave the
bullet to Our Lady of Fatima who had appeared in
1917 because, he said, she had saved his life.

                         by Pete Voelz     1/15/15