Recently, thanks to the Harris/Walz campaign in Madison, I met a new friend. Judy Washbush is ever so slightly younger than me, a beautiful spry woman in spite of her Parkinson's - "I may start to shake a little," she told me on our first meeting. "Ignore it. My family does." So she does and I do.
It's easy to ignore, since I am so much enjoying our conversation. She wants to buy my books. Actually, she wants to trade for them with books of her poetry and a bit of cash. I readily agree - every writer wants all the readers she can get. We talk a bit about our lives. She tells me that she once lived in a convent. I told her that I was an atheist, but that I had once been a member of the Theosophical Society. "I Still Am!" she cries. And we started talking about our individual takes on spiritual things. I told her I had long been an advocate of paganism, especially devotion to the four elementals, for reasons I have talked about elsewhere. At least I think I did. We talked about so much then and in a further meeting to exchange more books, I don't remember which was discussed when, but we got on like a house afire.
Her first book of poetry is called "God is Bigger Than That Book," and sports a picture of a Bible - at least I think it is. The letters on the spine are too small for me to read. And about three poems in is Judy's version of the Beatitudes. I give it to you here:
Beatitudes
Blessed are they who are now poor,
because they are on the down cycle.Blessed are the meek and gentle,
because they always get pushed around
but they don't care.Blessed are the broken people.
When they are mended,
they will be stronger than ever.Blessed are the activists
who are always crying out for
justice, justice, justice!Blessed are the sinners,
because Jesus likes them best.Blessed are the suicide bombers.
When they go to the bosom of Allah,
Allah will correct them.Happy all the losers,
who have nothing left to lose.Happy all you winners,
who have won all that you want, and
are wondering what is still missing.
Maybe now you'll find it.Blessed are the hungry and thirsty,
the too hot and the freezing,
the fearful, the fault-finding,
the diseased and the dying.
Just because.