Praise the Day

Praise the Day

Praise the old ipad that slowly obeys,
playing diverse podcasts to inspire my ways

Praise the spring tulips that boldly emerge,
splashing walls and walks with their flamboyant hues

Praise the fragrant leaves, a gift from a friend,
warming heart and tongue with their exotic blend

Praise the smartphone, the only way to see and hear
loved ones these days until the COVID all-clear

Praise the solitude, unsought and distraught,
and the transformation wrought by reading and writing thoughts

Praise the faithful sun that never ceases to rise –
no natural or human calamity can ever darken its skies

Praise the grey clouds and their empathetic drops –
sometimes they cry tears that our eyes will not

Praise for the care people show in troubled times –
no commerce, consumption or cruise trumps showing love with our lives

Praise the unexpected time to spend at home –
praise paintbrush and piano, cookbook and camera

Shush, my troubled mind, although markets are rough –  
vaccines will work, and you will too, soon enough

Praise the day, for it’s not a given –
it’s a limited-edition, one-of-a-kind, while-quantities-last, gift to live in

Come what may, praise the day

 

 

Inspired by Praise the Rain by Joy Harjo, shared on Poetry Unbound Feb 28, 2020 (https://onbeing.org/poetry/praise-the-rain/). Written during the COVID-19 crisis in Toronto, March 2020.