A Gift

A Gift

you’ll see it in your mother’s eyes, hands, and voice
as she tends to your scraped knee or wounded pride

it sneaks up on you while you’re working, hiding
among the rows of letters on your keyboard

it is often triggered by a familiar tune, revealing
the real magic behind the physics of guitar strings

it guides every choice you make at the grocery store
and every hour of sweat at the gym

when you plant a piece of it in a stranger’s garden,
with a little care it will grow back tenfold

it’ll make you blush and smile and blink to understand
how the bus you were riding on ended up here

it is a Gift you unwrap every morning and cherish
until your head meets your pillow each night

it owns no words comparable to its priceless value
it is the faithful chauffeur of courage and hope

it will walk with you to the cemetery
and keep you company as you walk back home alone.



by Anne Roulette
February 2, 2021