Sunrise II

Stir these prayers
until they bond with
all the villains
and struggles of the day
and help me to understand

where I begin
and where I end.

Is it my hand that stops
the touch of a child from getting in?

Is it my ears that have forgotten
the tune of a favorite old song?

Is it my eyes that won't see the words
that were written to give relief
and comfort?

Is it my mouth
that speaks words
that are empty
like a vessel barren
of hope?

I am the hurt
that we all carry
heavy from the fields.
I am the tears
on the face of a dirty
and hungry child.
I am the confusion
and longing
in the heart of a lover
left alone to find
herself.
I am the insult,
the ignored joy;
the laughter
never shared.

I press my palms together
and bow my head
in thanksgiving.

The guilt
for the anger
that crosses my day
slows me down
long enough
to catch my breath,
to look up from
my feet on the path,
and to really see the sun
rising.