Opening
Watering the flowers
after a long, hot, dry spell
the earth changing its color
deepening its hue
the flowers themselves
savoring the new flow
of refreshment
happy in the sun now
thirst quenched
for the moment
Filling the dishes
food and water
touching the soft heads
saying, good morning
do you want to go out?
it might be a bit cold
or too rainy
or look at all that snow
happy eyes
gazing back
almost a smile
Opening my arms
after years of holding them tight around me
a linear shield
keeping me together
pieces that had been kicked apart
now, without the constraint, staying where they belong
miraculously
my arms free now
to open myself up to the world
expose the ache from all the holding in
to the universe
to the sky
to God
a peeling away of the plaster
exposing the wound
the wounds
inflicted separately
but aching in unison
a crippled heart
learning to walk again
perhaps one day to leap
in awe of the gentleness that exists in my life
of the love