The window

The child stared up
In awe
To the window
So pretty.... the colours
Against the morning sun behind
Eyes bright
So beautiful He was
Jesus dressed all in white
His friends all around
Having fun ......
Eating bread and wine
At some party he thought
The child was hungry a boy of five
He was at church ... Sunday school
Singing old fashioned hymns
Next to him his mum sat
Head bowed in prayer
She sat so prettily there
In her new pale blue cotton dress

He saw his friend Tom from school
Across the aisle
Three back to the right
Why can’t they just sit and play
Marbles on the cool wooden floor
Roll ‘ em fast down the aisle
Have a bit of fun
Put some laughter
In this place


He looked up
To the stained glass pretty coloured window
Jesus was smiling down at him
In a kind way
Eating bread drinking his wine
I wonder if he played marbles
After he ate
His dinner ?
He couldn’t wait for his mum
To give him back his new marbles she said
She had to have them safe in her bag
During the church service



It was time to go home
He had prayed
He had sang long long hymns with his mum about God and Jesus
And prayers about the Holy Spirit
Now time to go out into
The hot midday sun
He’ll see his Jesus next Sunday
On his stained glass window
He always smiled down at him
From his window every Sunday



Holding his mums hand
They walked out
Into the hot midday sun
She dug deep into her shiny blue
Handbag that matched her shiny
Blue shoes
She found his marbles
Wrapped in his fathers
Pressed handkerchief

The window
Was beautiful he thought
I wonder if I’ll ever meet Jesus
He thought
He asked his mum
She was too busy chatting
To women in fancy clothes
And high heels
Nearly tripping on stones
all different colours
His mums navy blue shiny
Holding tea cups with daisies
And roses on them
to even answer him
Run along play marbles son

He played with his friends in the hot midday sun
He looked up from his play to the window
It looked different from outside
Not as bright not as colourful
Not as pretty
He could see Jesus with his back to him
And his friends sat around him
As he played on the cool grass under
That weeping willow tree
He looked up to his window
And knew Jesus was kind
And nice and meek and mild
But that’s all he knew
From the hymns he learnt from
That pew from inside

Years went by
He then went back to that church
as a grown man
Sat in the very same aisle
His mum had since died

He looked up in awe
With eyes so bright
He saw Jesus
In his window
And knew
He knew
He just knew
The answer now
To his unanswered question
He would meet him one day
Jesus smiled from his window
The man smiled back
And he
Remembered
The little boy
Who sat with his mum
Looking up at his window
The tears
Took him back
Back to the days
Back all those years
Of daisies on cups
And of roses too
And women who stood and sipped tea
In high heels nearly tripping on stone
On a hot Sunday midday
And his Jesus window
And marbles and kids who played
And weeping willows giving boys
Lots of shade
Next to that old stone church
In some familiar neighbourhood there
And Fathers neatly pressed hankies
With new marbles hiding in there
Deep in my mother’s shiny blue handbag
That she once took to church
With me as I sat on this pew
As a boy
At that window I’d stare

Reviews

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

this was an incredible work, one that really had a Story.
children are naturally closer to God. they might not understand the boring words of the preacher, but by looking, playing, and feeling, they are angelic.
the story fast-forwards and now the boy grown-up - who knows what he went through, many difficulties no doubt - but seeing the light through te window, he gets in touch with his inner child. the innocence and joyfulness is our salvation. it's not deciphering the esoteric words in the books; but recognising the soul within which leads us to heaven.
that is my interpretation. i would love to hear your thoughts on this work. but for my part, reading it was a pleasure.

[Thomas W Case]

It is a captivating and powerful work.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Thanks very much . It’s an old one

[Chris Shaw]

Wonderfully told. When we become adults we can often reflect on our childhood and learn from experiences we had then. Too young to understand as a child, but with years comes wisdom. I very much enjoyed this write Julie. Lovely job.

Chris

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Thanks so much for that

[Chris Shaw]

you are welcome

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Magnificent poem Julie. So tender and touching and sweet. It gave me shivers of emotion as I read it. Imagery so human and reminiscent and colorful and lovely. The little boy in church with his mom,fascinated by the colors of the stained glass window, wondering if Jesus “played marbles after He ate His dinner” and wondering if he would meet Jesus someday. Then his return to the church as a man and the knowing then that he would meet Him someday. The color of memories, and faith, so beautifully portrayed. Happy Easter my dear friend!:))

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Thanks Annette
That means a lot to me
Bless u xx

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Just out of church this morning & bless u too dear Julie xo

[Einstein Noodle]

first of all..bravo for writing in another skin than your gender! i was put in that little boy's skin as easy and all-ee all-ee in free ; )
I remember everything you mention ..and those moments are brought to the real for me...i see my church and the priests and the gatherings outside .. i feel the boredom and lack of understanding but mom and dad and the priests said it was so..so it was so! ...i had the pockets to store things but was never alowed to bring any toys nor distracting things to church..just my little bible and rosary .. you poem has brought so many good and solid memories back to me ... i wasn't quite into the questions that shake one's faith a bit ..that came later ..and i am grateful for the man who returned and seems to have worked things out without bitterness nor blaming ... enjoying that window and the knowledge that God does love us .. that's what i see anyway ;) great read ..beautiful morning made more so by your warm and delightful poem
E.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Wow thanks for your heartfelt honest interesting personal review

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Thanks for stopping by and reading my story this is true except it was me a girl and mum and I didn’t play narbles but all other memories there true

[Rusteangi Ruba]

everyone had their own life they gave all their memories through their skill ;u done it through your writing ....

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Thanks
So much that’s means a lot to me

[jacob erin-cilberto]

takes me back to my youth...my altar boy days...the mysteries, the thoughts i had then...and the thoughts i have now---things change...we grow out of that innocence and then we don't see anything in those windows close to what we used to see.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Thanks Jacob for your wonderful review sorry I didn’t respond earlier I really appreciate your personal review

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Not sure why I write from a boys perspective but that’s how it came out
I also write this zbout me going to church with mum and Sunday school brings back memories of her all dressed up and me in my best but I wrote it maybe from my brothers perspective come out from a little boy writing it not sure why