I posted this poem just a few years ago. But I like it, so I’m going to finish April with it. Enjoy!
St. Jude showed up at my door today with a little package tightly wrapped in pale blue paper, adorned with a large clump of curled white ribbon (he’d obviously had it wrapped at the store.) I was surprised to see him; I was unaware he made house calls. It seemed impolite not to invite him in even though we’d barely been on speaking terms for decades. I offered him tea, but he asked for whiskey so I got out the bottle I hold in reserve. After a couple shots each, he urged the present on me. I unwrapped it slowly, to annoy him. It was a Hummel figurine a girl with two geese. I glanced up at him across the table, saying nothing, waiting. He threw up his hands. “Look,” he said, “I know you’re ticked at me, I’ve never answered your prayers. But you ask for such hard stuff peace in the middle east rain in California progressives on the supreme court true love a bumper crop of heirloom tomatoes-- it’s too much.” “But that’s why I come to you: you’re the patron of lost causes.” He touched the figurine: a small rosy-cheeked child a red kerchief attempting to tame her flying braid puffed white sleeves a yellow apron two devoted geese leaning against her belly eager for her direction. “Geese can be fierce,” he told me. “Because this little girl needs protecting. “But you, sweetheart, you are stronger than you can even imagine. You don’t need a goose. You got this.” Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash
He was correct. You are strong. But what did he mean by “you’ve got this? Do you own the Hummel figurine?