A litany for living

(inspired by Audre Lorde)

For those of us who have seen
the sun rise over the ocean,
run its fingers through the blue-black silver,
form brassy waves and lines,
lift it up high into tufts of light,
gilded crowns holding up the dawn.

For those of us who have seen
green leaves so luminous
they shimmer and shine
from all the sun inside,
iridescent scarab beetle backs,
African starlings’ wings.