20 of January, 1430

Chère Jeanne

Even you, ma fille, with all your wisdom
from your saints, cannot know how this house
turned from grey to golden
the cold fields from dreary and unfulfilled
to rich with the promise of next spring
when your letter of the 30th reached us

new shimmers of sunlight defeated
the oppression of winter
but your father and I knew
it was the righteousness of your plight
and the high place of your honour
that you share with all Domremy and France
that brought the glory and the promise.

A simple-living woman like me prays
as always since your discovery of your destiny
for the lesson in how to mother you
in your unique and unprecedented role.

My favourite prayer to St. Michael
is that the giddy girl who loved to
plait my hair at night, two times
the first just for the practice
the second, for the feel of reaching closer to perfection,
survives to emerge free from her soldier’s garb
soon to safely return to us
and that not only her body that has suffered war
but her spirit, always overcomes.

The strength of miracle
gives me some hope; though it is true
that sleep evades us, as we wait
and only blind prayer steers us forward
like you, I seize my crucifix and pray.

Would that your saints could whisper your well-being to me
through all the greedy hours of war
my guilt is that from birth you entered
a world torn in the after strife of France and England
with civil war erupting
praise God for the good King Charles
for his valor

The ennoblement is yours, ma chère
we are only humble and unworthy
chosen to be the parents of one
designed to lead against the oppressors
even traitors among our countrymen
in a smaller way as Mary and Joseph were chosen
for the Christ-child.

For the King, the Lord and you
we accept the honor in full grace
with hope French victory follows it in haste
and ends the battle.

- Maman qui t'attendrai toujours

11/14/2003

Author's Note: My imaginary response from Isabelle Remy to her daughter Jeanne D'Arc on learning of the both the ennoblement and the recovery from wounds.

Posted on 11/14/2003
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