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.
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