{"id":3811,"date":"2018-08-28T10:01:22","date_gmt":"2018-08-28T10:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/translatingpain\/?p=3811"},"modified":"2018-08-28T10:01:22","modified_gmt":"2018-08-28T10:01:22","slug":"hail-mary-by-nicole-schafenacker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/a-bel-abroad\/hail-mary-by-nicole-schafenacker\/","title":{"rendered":"‘hail mary’, by Nicole Schafenacker"},"content":{"rendered":"

she is in the sauna drinking coke and eating salted peanuts<\/span><\/p>\n

one knee resting against the hot wood, silvery hair damp and sticking to her shoulders<\/span><\/p>\n

we discuss midwifery and the what it\u2019s like to catch a slippery baby<\/span><\/p>\n

in your palms<\/span><\/p>\n

she is standing in seal skin coat with white fur collar beside the church<\/span><\/p>\n

mid afternoon sun coming through jewel red of stain glass window<\/span><\/p>\n

holding a cigarette to her lips exhaling smoke and warm breath<\/span><\/p>\n

casual flick of ash hitting the ice<\/span><\/p>\n

i can\u2019t say what it is about these chance encounters that reel me in<\/span><\/p>\n

give me something to latch onto<\/span><\/p>\n

but mystery in itself can be a sustainer for the curious<\/span><\/p>\n

there is no such thing as \u201cmeant to be\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

things are just happening \u2013 miraculous, mundane things \u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

and why do we need more than that?<\/span><\/p>\n

all is as it is as it is, amen<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n