In the Presence of My Enemies

by Mary Folkerts

IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES

There is a table

set

under the old maple tree

a canopy of leaves flaming

with color

hues of orange

and red ochre.

The wild oats wave

their golden stalks

bidding me come

sit.

A cloth, like grandma’s quilt, covers the laden table,

its legs creaking

under the mounds of plenty

like a thanksgiving

party.

Platters overflowing with

tantalizing offerings—

hope,

bursting with flavor

piled high

like purple grapes,

while despair lurks

at my back desiring

my soul.

Peace,

smooth like

homemade crème brûlée,

more than I could

possibly imagine,

mounds golden in terracotta,

while anxiety gnaws

on the chair where I sit

begging to sink its

talons into me

instead.

Joy,

like effervescence,

bubbles from my cup,

jugs for replenishing

should I want

more

while depression slinks

waiting, waiting.

In the presence of 

my enemies 

the Gentle Shepherd 

sets a feast:

the wild wonder

that here—

not in cloistered halls—

we dine.

MARY FOLKERTS

Mary Folkerts is mom to four grown kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Canada, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. Mary writes with a desire to push back the dark, especially for those struggling with anxiety and depression. She is also an advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. 

Check out Joy in the Small Things: https://maryfolkerts.com. Or connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts. Or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.folkerts.37.

Here, Mary will inspire you through her love of creating, be it with her hands, working in her flower beds, arranging blooms in jars, bringing new life to an old piece of furniture, or stringing words together to create a picture or emotion.