Before I Knew Your Name

​Before I knew your name
 
Oh Beloved! I have darted over bear grass
Fields in thunderstorms
Dancing, rejoicing your
Name before I knew your
Words on my lips.
 
I knew you then as that
Tension in the air
Before it storms
The swift movement
 
My fishers cap caught
In the wind
And those quiet evenings
With the young British Soldier
On the porch
Of the hut with frosty windows-
Them inside, us outside
My companions playing cards
Drinking constant comment tea
Courtney circling her hand
On the window
To peek at us on the deck
This glacial night
Me on tiptoe
Leaning over to brush his
Lips with mine.
 
During this time of my life,
I knew you only as
The loons knew you-
My eyes too tired to open,
The smell of the musty green
Tent and last night’s bug spray
And hot coco on my lips.
 
But still I would rise;
Walk to the water’s edge
The stillness like solitude
In prayer
Although my lips did not yet
Utter creeds
But songs
 
Welcoming the dawn light
The launch of my solo canoe
Wood gliding though water,
My paddle careful to carry me to
The ridge where I would
Greet the day.
 
Before I knew prayer
My body moved
In your name.
A dance of rejoicing
With your creation.
 
Now I read from script
Now I utter creeds and promises,
My ankles thick and
Aching
For the temple of
Pine needles and hot coco
And thunderstorms,
My simple
Breath
In a canoe
At dawn.        –Frances Corry 

Frances Corry lives and writes in Madison Wisconsin. She has a BA. from University of Wisconsin- Madison in English/Creative Writing, and an MSW from University of Chicago. Combining these backgrounds, she works with groups of older adults to help them write their life stories.  She can be contacted at franciecorry@gmail.com . She has been in Julie Tallard Johnson's Writing circles, and is in the Mentorship Program that Julie offers. "Writing is a deeply personal, vulnerable and spiritual endeavor for me.  Julie has been instrumental in helping me explore and put to the page the little and big miracles in life. " (Frances) 

Join Frances and other writers for my three free FIRST FRIDAYS to retreat, write, connect.  First Friday's of December, January & February.  On January 1st I will take you through the process of creating a writer's VISION BOARD, scripting & writing first paragraphs of your stories! Email me to sign up (room for 5 more): julie@julietallardjohnson.com.  (Free but a donation will be welcomed.) 

As many of you know the writing program though the UW, Madison Continuing Studies is closing June, 2021.  My FINAL CLASS offering through that program is coming up in February: The Vulnerability of Writing Nonfiction: The Threads of Autobiographical Writing  Each session will have lessons on the journey and the craft of writing nonfiction. This is for those working on a nonfiction project, be it an essay, a memoir, or a blog series or spiritual teaching memoir. Each student will have their subject and theme defined along with a path to creating and developing their ideas. In Option 2, you’ll send in up to ten pages of your work for consultation and guidance and receive a 20-minute one-on-one Zoom session about your pages. ​6 sessions; Feb 1, 8-9, 15, 22-23.