blessing

it's hard
being a poet

seeing

so much

that other people
don't notice

beauty and pain
dark and light

i hear the ripple
of the water
as it washes over
the rocks

i see the light
in the shine
of the blackbird's
feathers

i smell the coolness
of a new morning
i see the pain
in that stranger's eyes
as she greets her customers
but tries to hide it

i feel the hurt
the tearing of skin
when lovers part

the rain descending
from God's heart
when a child bullied
takes his life

my body receives
the blows
when people are cruel
violent in word
poisoning the air
with their self-contempt

but i also notice
the radiant blue
of her eyes
as she leads the meeting
(does no one else
see the brilliance
of her light?)

or when his face
relaxes
i hear the crumbling
of the wall
that held in
his heart
see the reflection
on his skin
from grace-glow
and my eyes
tingle
with tears

or the smell
of water
on sun-baked grass
the sudden sweetness
of honeysuckle
traveling on the breeze

i see
i feel
i ache
i rejoice

it is both
blessing
and curse.