to love and be loved, fully, freely, long

for safety for our selves for our loved ones

even ones we struggle to love

(especially if you are one who believes

in living as God’s people, for what is God

if not a devoted love, an ache opening into hope,

a longing becoming faith enough to stretch

upright and lean forward)

we all want connection

to see our reflection in the joy

of our beloveds, to feel their strength

on our hardest days, surround ourselves

in the rejuvenation of bread breaking story sharing vision building

yes, this is a heavily armed country

where fear has been given

too many plates

been invited as an honored guest

at too many tables

singing its hypnotizing lullaby

until fingers freeze into fists

and locks click closed as eyes

and the faith once known with gratitude and song

is quieted by a new refrain:

read a book and you might get shot

and the seeds that come to fruition

bear rotten fruit

and we forget the way we started, wanting:

love

land

love

food

love

clean water

love

safety

love

shelter

love

community

love

fresh air           love

sunlight           love

starry nights                love

sweet cinnamon laughter

love

tart hibiscus sunrise

love

listening to each other

love

our rich tellings

love

crickets and drums

love

bird feathers and soft sand

love

the ocean licking our toes, quietly

love

arms strong enough to hold us

love chests to fall into

love mouths that hold our names tender

and careful love

to make something useful with our own hands

to pull an onion from the earth and slice it open

to watch a river dancing

to gasp at thick yellow moss illuminating a cliff’s edge as the day melts

to breathe in

to breathe out

to hold the hands most dear to us and say I love you I love you I love you

and let it be enough for their journey

to have our own hands squeezed

to hear I love you I love you I love you and let it be enough for our journey

we all want the same thing:

to be welcome at the table

and fed

to let love take its rightful place

at the head

at the foot

at every seat

in every cup

in every dish

in every guest

let us remember connection

let our gratitude pour over our heads

like warm honey

as we bear a new fruit

a sweet love

a strong love

mighty enough

to sustain us all.