Christmas in Jail! (2014)

Four years ago:

Last evening Linda and I, and many of my friends from St. Marty's Painesville (Dan and Kathy Philipps and their daughter Alyssa; Kathy Flora; Mary Ann Ratchko-Gamez and her husband Feliciano, and several others) spent the evening "con-celebrating" a Christmas program for inmates of the Lake County Jail. Mary Ann brought her flute and Irish whistles and was accompanied by Alex on keyboard and her husband Feliciano on guitar. There were about 6 or so singers, some I recognized and some I didn't know, including a St. Mary's woman (Allison?) who sang a beautiful solo. There were also representatives from a number of other religious communities, St. Noel's, St. Gabe's, St. Anthony's, Kirtland Unitarian Universalist, a Leroy congregation, and several other Protestant congregations. Fr. Mark Riley of St. Mary's took the lead role (but involved everyone).

Lake County Jail (summer photo)

The sessions began as the prisoners ushered in. In the first session (of three), there might have been 30 to 50 women, mostly young, overwhelmingly white. They looked like our daughters, sisters, neighbors. They looked like us (and that really made us think!). We began singing together some popular (and maybe a bit corny) Christmas songs, but the inmates loved it! They particularly got into "Frosty the Snowman," thumping the floor and sitting pads vigorously when the time came. We moved into some more religious carols, led off by "O Holy Night" by our soloist. It was spectacular. Then we sang together several songs, including "Silent Night," one verse sung in Spanish. My favorite was the song "Peace Child." I will try to find a Youtube version of this song and post it later.

Part of the evening involved each of us bringing strips of cloth to a rough wooden manger, to make a comfortable bed for the Baby Jesus. It was moving to see some of the tough men do this. Father Mark asked us to put our hands over our hearts, and to prepare room in our hearts for grace, for the newborn Jesus. We did that--we made room. Father Mark said, "This visit to you is the most important thing I will do this Christmas." It was true for him, and true for all of us!

At certain points, some of the inmates began to cry--at the beauty of the music, at the touching scene making the rough crib comfortable for the baby Jesus, for the heartbreak of being in jail on Christmas.

Believe me, we were as moved and as grateful as the prisoners. We came to do a Work of Mercy, visiting those in prison (as Jesus once was!). What was amazing is how we felt the prisoners had done something for us!

P.S. The final song of every session, after the solemn hymns, was a vibrant version of "Feliz Navidad," led by Feliciano Gamez on guitar. It was so joyful that many of the women and men began dancing to the tune. It was a wonderful way to end the evening.

The Indigo Girls sing "Peace Child":



Lyrics to "Peace Child"

Peace Child,
in the sleep of the night,
in the dark before light
you come,
in the silence of stars,
in the violence of wars--
Savior, your name.

Peace Child,
to the road and the storm,
to the gun and the bomb
you come,
through the hate and the hurt,
through the hunger and dirt--
bearing a dream.

Peace Child,
to our dark and our sleep,
to the conflict we reap,
now come--
be your dream born alive,
held in hope, wrapped in love:
God's true shalom.

Songwriters
ALLOCCO, JACK / KURTZ, DAVID / (WRITER UNKNOWN), TRADITIONAL

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Poem for Little Ava, Age 2 years 4 months

Nani Has Two Shoulders, Ava

You come in crying, saying, “I want Nani to hold me,

I want to sleep on Nani’s shoulder!”

Don’t fret, Sweetie Pie, don’t be jealous

Because your baby cousin Lilly is sleeping on Nani Linda’s shoulder.

Nani has room in her heart

And on her shoulders for Lilly and you . . .

And really for many more.

Don’t fret, pretty Ava.

        [Bob Coughlin December 27, 2018]

A Little Poem for My Granddaughter Lilly

Lilly Watching the Birdies

Lilly, thirteen months, sits at the window

Watching the winter birds

With great focus and interest.

“Dat,” she says, pointing at the black-capped chickadee,

“Dat,” again, for the junko and then the bluejay.

I want to show her the bright-red cardinal,

The robin, the downy woodpecker.

All the bird wonders of Chardon, Ohio

This little corner of the world,

Her grandparents’ home . . .

(Bob Coughlin / December 26, 2018)

Poem for the Darkness and Silence of Winter Solstice

Here's a poem I wrote many years ago. The poem seems pretty bleak--at first. But in the end it's a poem about Hope returning. Our days are very short and very dark right now. And I find the silence unnerving. Where is all the bird song? Where is the joyful cacophony?

Of course Christmas is coming. And we celebrate with lights and music and presents. And more than presents, we celebrate with our "presence" to each other.

I think in the darkness and silence, we need to light lights and candles, bring flowers and green into the house, and stay close to our family and friends. Otherwise . . .

Winter Solstice

The chill creeps into the bones:

December 21 and sun gone long before 5 o’clock;

huge gray clouds roll in off Lake Erie

riding the Witch’s gale, spitting sleet and

fears as real and as organized as the swirl

of pin oak leaves down Lakeshore Boulevard.

This day, shaken by nameless fears,

seems to last forever:

I wonder how I will get through the next minute,

and the minute after that,

and the minute after that,

wonder if I can make it

until hope returns

until peace-which-surpasses-understanding,

as mysterious as winter solstice’s fear--

my heart standing still, turning cold,

my spirit abandoned--

until peace returns like grace like unexpected

gift.

                       Robert M. Coughlin