all ways 11 o'clock

St. Joseph’s School for Girls

1

I told myself  he must look fine

to the angels and the birds;

that he would expect to land face up;

now I think he has to face the land,

that he may be

forgiven.

2

What I remember most about the light

was how, on some days,

it refused to enter;

but I was wrong, it seems;

the light did not refuse;

it was too kind to shine on me.



3

I was given a large, rough brush

and told to paint my soul;

that was when the pain began;

and there it did not end;

it went on to claim my body and my tongue,

and to shame these very walls.

4

I saw hope through every opening,

because that’s where it escaped;

I dreamed of rain that did not come;

snow was the best thing,

and was quiet as a mouse;

ice? a forbidden kingdom.

5

My best friend could not tell me everything,

and so would try to use her eyes;

I learned quickly: light was dark;

up was down; life was death;

grief the greatest joy;

until, one day, they made her blind.

William from Recently Banned Literature has helped me beautifully in writing the poem

for these photographs of a building that holds a history I am sad to say is so very common.

Thank you so very much William.
Without your poem this story is only half told.


[you may click on any image to enlarge]