To all the ones who have told me
perhaps while gazing down their
nose slopes or peering over their glasses
a pinched smile dripping saccharine
“Bless your heart”:

I want you to know that it worked.
That my heart is blessed.
So blessed it has become beautiful,
even as beautiful as all the ones I know,
and on that note I know
I mean, my heart knows, quite a lot
of blessed hearts and as it happens
they have all grown together large enough
to contain the world and yes,
that world includes you and yes,
these blessed hearts still hope
still swallow, encompass in light,
are making the world touchable
and sweet, we are so tender,
we are so strong, we are
blessed enough, brave enough to love.