shut out

mother embraced me despite my errors
numerously that i committed so frequently
patiently seated with me on the ground
holding my untrained hands gently, but so firmly
she taught me numbers, also the alphabet
until my feeble being, transformed into a man of letters

power in church shut me out, fearing errors,
even before i could vocalize the inherent faith
impatiently, stamping boisterously on the ground
holding clenched fists above head
while the hierarchy was so reluctantly maneuvering
with it, they also shut out, all traces of truth

* Picture taken as soon as we drove into PEI through the Confederation Bridge in 2006. It was a beautiful day. Out Station Wagon is parked in the parking lot in front of the Information Centre at PEI.