Nora's Angel

I WROTE THIS POEM FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS NEW TO DAYCARE AND TRYING TO GET A HYPER-VIGILANT TODDLER TO SLEEP DURING NAP TIME. I HAD BEEN STRUCK BY A STORY ABOUT THE NEED TO OPEN THE LARGE CATHEDRAL DOORS IN NEW YORK CITY TO ALLOW AN ELEPHANT TO RECEIVE A BLESSING ON ST. FRANCIS'S FEAST DAY!

Nora and I lie in the darkened womb room of naptime,

Envisioning sharks and elephants and celestial beings...

And I catch a glimpse of Nora's guardian angel

In shades of rosy pink..

Like a winter sunset in a cold, clear Pennsylvania sky.

Yes, Nora's angel....

Birthed from the pages of Ezekiel....

Wheels within wheels with thousands of vigilant eyes...

Like an antique clockwork

Or Nora's blue eyes intently studying the workings of wheels

On plastic toy cars and trucks...

Engineering runs in her bloodline.

And I am certain that Nora's angel

Oversaw the construction of the great cathedral door

Opened for the elephant to lumber into the sanctuary

Of the big city church

And that Nora herself

Would have realized that her gray friend's great dimensions

Exceeded the size of the common entrance.

The huge cathedral doors were thrown open

For the great beast's triumphal entry

And blessing on the Feast of St. Francis!

I am certain that Nora's angel's voice trumpets

Like the great elephant

And shakes the ground

Whenever danger threatens.

Just as I am sure that sharks swim through

The liquid folds of her angel's garments....

Strong and primordial...

Like Nora's iron will.

...Or maybe the angel transforms into "Crackers"

The friendly elephant with the pink saddle and stirrups

The one Nora rides on flights of fancy.

Finally, I look up and behold Nora's angel taking flight,

Feather wings, white as snow, brush the child's cheek

As she finally succumbs to peaceful sleep.