National Poetry Month: The Chrysalis

In the midst of the dark night of my mind, body and soul, I did not know that I was in the chrysalis on a journey of a transformation. I was shackled to the past that was rife with violence and dis-ease. In December of 2006, my life came to a screeching halt with the life giving diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. While I may have been called "Easy Out Alper" in gym class, I was not going to let Post-Polio Syndrome take me out. I refused to take the diagnosis sitting down. On a cold, dark February day in 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. Poetry flowed out of my heart and soul. My pen became my divining rod for healing.

This month I celebrate National Poetry Month AND the 10th anniversary of when I ran the Boston Marathon; a journey of transformation from a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma to an endurance runner on the roads and in my life.

The Chrysalis
Trembling with excitement
shaking it off
allow yourself to be with a capital B

Being who you were always meant to be
unencumbered

yet time well spent
on tiny legs
grounded to earth’s energy
garnering wisdom along the way

gathering together
possibility

a time of uncertainty
certain
this is the path
abide in darkness
surrender
lose grip on grasping
turning inward
discovering beauty
strength
free now
to
fly

A New Lease on Life

Rented space
rendered apart
plundered
what God has wrought
let no man put asunder.

Old wallpaper stripped
plumbing purged
once a trickle now flows
flickering lamps rewired
no longer dim
light bathes this old house.

Owner occupied
she smiles
sitting on the porch swing
butterflies dance

In a moment of unbridled joy
barefoot and free
they become One.



To your health and wellness,
From my heart to yours
Mary

Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.



“The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” takes you on Mary McManus’ healing odyssey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, Mary got still and asked for Divine Guidance tapping into the powerful connection she experienced to the Divine from an early age. She harnessed the power of her mind to heal her body, feverishly writing poetry in which she imagined herself healthy, whole and free from the shackles of her youth. Mary’s quest to heal her life led her to the sport of running. Her story is one that will leave you cheering for the underdog, discovering the meaning of different ability and experiencing the stunning view from the back of the pack of a race. You will have the privilege of bearing witness to how Mary overcame every challenge that life presented to her. The sport of running provides the backdrop for her journey of transformation from a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members to a woman who embodies faith, grace under fire, courage, determination, endurance and resilience. Running became a way of life for Mary that tested her mettle while forging friendships to last a lifetime. As you’ll discover in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” nothing, not even a serious knee injury in December of 2014 could stop her on the roads or in her life.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


My healing journey using the power of visualization is featured in David R. Hamilton's book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body-Anniversary Edition." It's available on Amazon.