Psalm 127
Freefall May 6 2005
"It is vain for you who rise early,
who sit up late, who eat the bread
of sorrows"
I.
It is vain for you who rise early
someone's rising earlier
someone's got your worm already
Rise for the joy of the sun
Anything you could do now
you'll do later
Breathe the pink and gold
or pray on behalf of the bit of gray
that's lighter than the rest
Rising early
I stretch and consider the delicious
possibility of not rising quite yet
or rising only to sink into a
hot bath
or rising only enough to roll over
and sink into lover's arms
Rising early, I'm held to the bed
by charming please, stay close,
and let me nestle at your breast,
baby in your arms
Stay close and let me drink
Charming for a moment, wailing if
denied
And I don't really wish to deny them
Rising in vain, and settling back
in glory, in body, in chesed and rachamim
and kavod
II.
You who sit up late
with coffee or without
getting one more thing done
holding off dark moments of
review anxious list the
harsh midnight judge
III. For Anna
You who eat the bread of sorrows
Fishing in the sea of tears
Butter of yesterday's flowers
Too thinly spread
Milk of reluctant kindness
Clouding your tea of wishes
tea of not quite
Apples of rescue
hang ripe for the taking
Joy jam could be eaten
straight from the spoon
Never mind the bread
