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.