When You Need Comfort
You Will Know Her By These~
A Litany for the Weary
Sylvia V. Linsteadt
~ Author’s note: I encourage you, when you need it, to write your own Litany of Our Ladys, to all the simple smells, tastes, and sensations that bring you solace and healing, even just by speaking them aloud ~
Our Lady of the Warm Horse
Scent of alfalfa, scent of hay, sweet fur
At the heart of my girlhood: the breath of horses
Our Lady of Sheep’s Wool
Skin tanned to immaculate softness
Wool white as morning, cleaned with soap
Our Lady of Honeycomb
Our Lady of Propolis
Our Lady of Pollen
Our Lady of the Beeswax Candle
dark gold light, the scent as it burns
Our Lady of Honey on the Tongue
Our Lady of Warm Milk with Saffron
Our Lady of Rain on Dry Earth and Pine Trees
Our Lady of Tree Trunks
which I embrace before bed
Our Lady of the Wet Moss
Our Lady of the Warm Hand
Our Lady of the Warm Dog
Our Lady of the Warm Fire
Our Lady of Bread Baking
Our Lady of the First Hot Slice
Our Lady of the Ripe Quince in the Kitchen
and the tree heavy-hung on the roadside
Our Lady of an Armload of Quince
Our Lady of Quince Skin
sweetening in the oven
Our Lady of the Inner Pink
when it is cooked
Our Lady of the Kiss of Your Beloved
Our Lady of Miraculous Kisses
Our Lady of Their Hand in Your Hand
Our Lady of the Scent of the Beloved
Our Lady of the Warm Bed of Lovers at Midnight
Our Lady of the Warm Bed of Lovers at Dawn
Our Lady of Sleeping Hand in Hand
Our Lady of Sleeping Heart to Heart
Our Lady of Mint
Our Lady of Rosemary
Our Lady of Oregano
Our Lady of Rockrose
Our Lady of Thyme
Our Lady of Thermal Waters
Our Lady of Lava Stone
Our Lady of Laying Naked in the Sun
Our Lady of the Scent of Your Warm Body in the Sun
Our Lady of Wine
Our Lady of Chestnuts, Roasting
Our Lady of Woodsmoke
Our Lady of Down Quilts
Our Lady of the Silk Nightdress
Our Lady of the Red Thread
Our Lady of Roses
Our Lady of Roses
Our Lady of my Mother’s Roses
Our Lady of the Warm Kitchen
Our Lady of Deep Sleep
Our Lady of Dirt On Your Hands
Our Lady of the Hole
I dug into the pine humus
and spoke into, weeping, talking to tree roots
talking to people I love through the root of the world
Our Lady of the Waxing Moon
Our Lady of the Evening Star
Our Lady of Moon and Star in the West at Nightfall
Our Lady of Going Out At Dusk With the Dog to Look for Venus
Our Lady of the Fourth Vestment of Venus
Our Lady of the Heart Amulet Bestowed
whose meaning is yet a mystery to me
whose scent is late winter, green things in the dark
At the heart of my womanhood: breath of stars