{"id":6654,"date":"2016-09-14T09:58:32","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T14:58:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=6654"},"modified":"2026-02-27T07:34:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T13:34:39","slug":"black-cloth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2016\/09\/14\/black-cloth\/","title":{"rendered":"Black cloth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Red broth, steaming soup, vegetables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

just picked, now my lunch; I slurp life in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phone rings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sister Laura on the line, \u201cSister Rita is dying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll put the phone to her ear. Say what you\u2019d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

like. She<\/p>\n\n\n\n

can\u2019t talk, won\u2019t respond. Say your good-bye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pause. My lungs expand, mind races, I search<\/p>\n\n\n\n

my heart<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for words just-right. I mutter, \u201cThank you,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love you,\u201d \u201cPray for me,\u201d \u201cEnjoy freedom,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood bye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She moans acceptance. The words echo\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

feel blank, all seems hollow\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red broth, steaming soup, life once fresh<\/p>\n\n\n\n

now my lunch; hot liquid tasted,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

consumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minutes later I hem black cloth for prayer,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

black cloth for teens needing gifts from God\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

life long.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Photo<\/a>
Photo credit: http:\/\/www.deviantart.com\/morelikethis\/379193198<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dedicated to Sister Rita Rathburn, FSPA, who was a sister, friend, and coach for me in the craft of writing. She died on Monday<\/a>. May she rest in peace. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Red broth, steaming soup, vegetables just picked, now my lunch; I slurp life in. Phone rings Sister Laura on the line, \u201cSister Rita is dying. I\u2019ll put the phone to her ear. Say what you\u2019d like. She can\u2019t talk, won\u2019t respond. Say your good-bye.\u201d A pause. My lungs expand, mind races, I search my heart...","protected":false},"author":4071079,"featured_media":25399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[115341],"tags":[698755374,8437,401,586,1935140,7816,16950,124,3785,48258749,1720,1861871,537935379],"series":[698756626],"class_list":["post-6654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-equity-and-justice-equity-and-justice","tag-community","tag-death","tag-faith","tag-food","tag-franciscan-sisters","tag-god","tag-grief","tag-life","tag-love","tag-nun-poetry-and-art","tag-poem","tag-poetry-2","tag-sister-rita-rathburn","series-messy-jesus-business"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/free_texture__10__black_cloth_by_rjd37-d69rfce.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/feed\/podcast\/messy-jesus-business","embedCode":"

Black cloth<\/a><\/blockquote>