Provision (WC)

  

(February 11, 2021, feast day of Lady of Lourdes, Saint Theodora the Empress (above), Saint Caedmon, World Day of the Sick, and eve of Rosh Chodesh/new moon, for Hebrew month of Adar. Image from here.)

Provision

(after Jane Kenyon)

I slid out of bed today,

strolled 'round these our walls.

It might have been otherwise. 

Feasted on quinoa porridge, its

nutbutter, squash, swirled. 

It might have been otherwise. 

Prayed in Ireland, phoned to Portland, 

read to France, studied in Seattle, wrote to

rhyme, with lay-overs on cozy bedsheets, 

         cycling in space.

It might have been otherwise.

Even at night's mulling it's sensed: it might 

have been otherwise. But it's warm here by the 

heat with Joseph. Fresh bread, tea, incense and 

yes, chocolate. And candlelight. And it's this last

one catches. Croons "stop now, hold to heart", 

safekeeping for day the rest 

might be otherwise.

*From prompt: Freewrite as inspired by Jane Kenyon's Otherwise...a gratitude list, varying some short sentences with long one(s); from Esther Lin's Quarantine Write-in (Hugo House, Seattle, WA), February 11, 2021.