The following article appeared in the Centennial Newsletter on February 17th, 2025.

Mohun Musings 2

Did you know that Mother Stephanie Mohun, OP, was a poet? In 1911 as a young Dominican Sister, she published a short book of poetry entitled Driftwood under the pen name of “Lee”. A volume of twenty-seven religious and inspirational verses Sister Stephanie, as she was then known, calls her “little book” a “collection of simple verses and songs – fragments from a human heart, gathered – like driftwood – on the shores of human life, and sent forth to warm and cheer some other human heart.”

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we share her poem “Hearts”:

Hearts

Some hearts are made of silver bright,

And some of the purest gold,

And some are made of glittering ice,

And some of marble cold. 

I know not of what your heart is made,

Whether of silver or gold,

Or of icicles caught from glacier fields,

Or e’en of the marble cold.

Yet still you must guard with sacred care –

Your heart – whate’er it be –

Silver or gold or marble rare

Or ice from the polar sea.

But, because it is hard to guard it well

No matter of what it be made,

Oh! place it within a triple shrine

Till the debt of life be paid.

Where find this triple shrine of strength,

Wherein your heart to keep?

In lowly thought and word and deed,

‘Tis hidden wondrous deep.

This triple shrine will keep it safe

From the darts of friends and foes.

And you will rest in quiet peace

A stranger to human woes.

“The verses are lowly”, Sister Stephanie writes in her preface to Driftwood, “but their mission is exalted, and their author can but hope that in some humble way they may accomplish their destiny.” We hope that you enjoyed her verses today, and please stay tuned for more words of wisdom from Mother Stephanie!

Looking for more? Check out: Driftwood, Mother Stephanie Mohun, OP Papers, RG 33 (Box 1) Albertus Magnus College Archives, New Haven, Connecticut.

Contributed by:

Catie White, MLIS

Community Services Librarian and College Archivist