A PRESENT FROM TODAY
                  © Sara L. Russell

                  Post a present to yourself
                  from today
                  into tomorrow. 
                  Lay out all your clothes
                  the night before.

                  Break the routine, travel
                  a different way, linger
                  over breakfast, 
                  stop to watch the pigeons.
                  Catch a different train,
                  drop your bags,

                  miss your flight,

                  survive.


               *  (Dedicated to Fergie, the Duchess of York, 
                  who was delayed in a taxi on her way to
                  the World Trade Center and escaped death)



         MYSTERIOUS WAYS
         © Sara L. Russell, Sept. 15th, 2001


         For the workings of God are of love;
         the workings of man are of hate.
         War is the pretext and the uniform of hate, it 
         knows no boundaries, it measures its foes
         by their deeds, it takes eyes for eyes
         in the name of holiness.

         For the woman who wakes in bed without the  
         warm skin of man beside her, 
         For the child who remembers again in the morning
         the loss of an afternoon,
         In the death of the faith in God through
         the betrayal of man, we reached for You,
         we sought You, and found You gone.

         Even as we walked through the valley of
         the shadow of death, we feared all evil,
         for You were not with us, 
         Your rod and Your staff 
         deserted us.



                  From Guardian Angels         
                  2: FEATHERS (The voice of Raphael)
                  © Sara L. Russell, 28th April, 2000

                  I'll wrap you in feathers
                  deep in enfolded wings
                  crown you with petals
                  each one for your sufferings
                  I am the keeper
                  of all the thoughts in your head
                  mine is the shadow
                  you thought you saw by the bed

                  Your sorrow's my dark jet
                  your tears my freshwater pearls
                  I live in your tiger eyes
                  where deep water swirls
                  I'll kiss your crescent mouth
                  when it will not smile
                  wrap you in feathers
                  carry you one last mile.