The Coping Stones and Other Lyric Poems

The poems presented here were written between 1987-1989 as Christmas gifts for the poet’s husband during the final years of her life when she knew she was dying. The Rhythm of the Danse explores twelve spiritual virtues, drawing on sources from ancient philosophers to contemporary Christian thought. The Coping Stones wrestles with the Ten Commandments, examining each through the lens of a life lived within impossible contradictions—married to a military officer while bound to “Thou shalt not kill”, seeking peace while liturgically exiled, practicing virtues she couldn’t fully embody.