Litany: Revised

A Design

You are the rice and the cheese,

The maple candy and the sugar cubes.

You are the pristine ice reflecting the light

and the harsh salt water stinging every scratch.

You are the red turtlenecks during wintertime,
and the chickadees fluttering from tree to tree.

Although, you are not the pond in the forest,

the salted almonds on the table,

or the game of wizard.

And of course you are not the pollen-filled Spring air.

There is simply no way you are the pollen-filled Spring air.

It is possible that you are the boat in the bay,

perhaps even the seal with a ball on its nose,

but you are not even close

to being the blackberries in late summer.

A glance at your reflection in the water will tell 

that you are neither the bandages fallen at the side of the bed

nor the bike suspended in its bike rack.

It may please you to know,

speaking of the wonders of this life,
that I am the sound of cheering in the gymnasium.

I also happen to be the footsteps along the beach,
the constant prayers rising to the heavens

and the strawberry shortcake bar in the freezer.

I am also the western setting sun
and the sweet satsumas in each stocking.
But don't worry, I'm not the rice and the cheese,
but you are no longer these things either.
You are now the footsteps along the beach
and somehow, the sweet satsumas in each stocking.