middle earth.

********

this day. 

this very day. 

i woke laughing and singing.

tea was steeped as the pencilfox family watched early morning news on the television: 
pope benedict left the vatican for his home at castel gandolfo. 

i explained to mister pencilfox that papa benedetto was moving to middle earth. 

this morning of grey skies and pensive reminiscing led me to the hillside,

avec snowshoes and poles and pooches in tow. 

i thought about my mother and how she spent a stay in alaska with mister pencilfox 
shortly after he and i were engaged to be married. 

he was residing in a local town, in a two-bedroom apartment, 

while my home, without water or electricity, was out in the hinterlands. 

i stopped by to check on how they were doing, 

[they were getting along quite famously]

and i went into her bedroom to straighten her linens and put out fresh towels. 

there, on the bed, was her rosary and her prayer book. 
if i have no other memory of my mother, i shall remember how she believed, 
how she prayed, how she sang. 
she passed on to me her love of knitting. 
and she loved my cat. 

so today, while thinking upon numerous memories as i snowshoe'd the loop on the 
upper terraces, i silently prayed and gave thanks, and knew that all is right in the world. 
 after all, papa benedetto now lives in middle earth. 

********