Dear Gentle Friends~

Welcome back to sail with me at Gifts by Grace. I trust this finds you relaxed after a summer of special adventures, and eager to wander hills ablaze with autumn's splendor. I'm pleased to introduce you today to my friend and fellow writer, Pat Horton. I first met Pat when she attended a gathering of Light of Carolina Christian Writers. She is a quiet, gracious soul, and very humble about her writing efforts. It was after she began sharing her amazing words and artwork that I knew Pat was a talented writer and artist whose voice left me wanting more.

Inspired by a piece of costume jewelry from Steinmart I was ready to get home and start my research, already sensing it would take the form of a poem about the women in my family. When I read these sentences: "The Pleiades or Seven Sisters is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. The cluster is dominated by hot blue and extremely luminous stars." ^WikipediaI had a good laugh and squeezed the tears from my eyes. My sister and I are both born in May, post-menopausal with daughters in their thirties, who happen to be extremely creative women. Rarely does writing come so easily, but when it does, what a blessing!

MY SISTERS AND ME AND PLEIADES

Wound, bound, linked by unseen chain,

all together, all form one.

Old blood, hot blue and seed,

accumulation of those before, and us, and to who will be.

We ride, we sail, we flock as doves upon the idol back of Aaron's bull,

the whole world gazes, adoration, speculation, wonder...

stories sett'ling like sediment down through the ages.

So we add our verses by generation, mothers, daughters, sisters,

a conflagration of

Loves, and joys, and fears, and the nebulosity of tears.

We sparks, are beamed thought

cast from the eye of God

whole and perfectly formed does each one glitter,

genuflect satisfaction back the Creator,

but more splendid still as they together shimmer.

A star is a star and only that, radiant shine yes--

united, more so gloriously blessed,

never alone

Family-- stands fast!