Yesterday I lay in bed
All day
Unshed tears spilled down
Into my gut
And hardened into concrete

Unspoken love
Winged from my heart
To my head
The left side of my head

My sweaty sundress
Worn the bright day before
Lay crumpled on the floor

Today I got up
Not until late morning
But I got up
Put on the sweaty sundress
And forced myself outside

To sunshine
And leaves
Stirring in the breeze

To a showy red cardinal
Claiming the bird feeder
As his throne

To a humble song sparrow
Nesting below the roof peak
Of our brick-red garden shed

To the nuthatches pecking
Upside down
On the trunk of the red maple

To the smell of lemon balm
Planted near the porch
To ward off mosquitoes

To the music of our low fountain
Water plinking
Quiet but steady
From one small pitcher to another
Into our rock and moss pond
Surrounded by sky-seeking ferns
And one young yellow sharp leaved
Japanese maple

WOW! I thought
How could I forget
Even for a day

I live amidst goodness
Always, right here,
My balm in Gilead