Pequeñas Odas

@velveteenrabbi (Rachel Barenblat) asked for short poems of praise today on Twitter.

Here are some I wrote:

Praise be the pain
that seared us and left
as quickly as it came.

*

Praise be the cheek that burned
as if from flame,
that now warms the pillow or my hand.

*

Praise be the gaps
between whose gates
the hours are parsed.

*

Praise be the heart’s
old shawl of tears
and its kind nap.

*

Praise be the milk
of everyday desire
that we can measure into cups.

*

Praise be the moon
and its thin silver hoop
made as if new.

*

Praise be the quick-
ness of what stirs within,
flame standing up to wind.