old child
he is good she said
and turned her grey, filmy eyes up to heaven
she was bathed in God again
her retinas regained their color
and the power was restored in her voice
her long skirt seemed to sweep me up from my fatigue
it was then I prayed
O God,
my distracted life has left me vacant with earth
and breathless for you
restore me with the child’s giggle
that bubbled out of her withered lips
______________
Dan Flore