Begin with the Faucet

On days when you think there is nothing
to be thankful for,
begin with the faucet you tweak
to the perfect temperature,
the shower cascading,
massaging your neck and spine.
Consider the soft water you rely on
that allows lather to rise on your head,
or the stout hands of the invisible dishwasher
that scrubbed your pots while you slept.
Notice curtains that frame the window
to whatever day will be discovered,
aroma of good coffee brewing
in the timed coffee maker,
about to rev up your engine,
dollop of cream
from Oreo cows munching grass,
the toaster, the toast,
and marmalade,
grain, crunch, and fruit.
Reach for bifocals on the end table.
Pet the dog or cat who says good morning
with its nose or tail or nudge.
If there is someone to kiss,
know you are blessed.
Open the front door as you do each day
for the paper delivered by the paper boy
on his pre-dawn rounds.
Listen to a sparrow,
then the radio humming and talking,
song or voice that buoys you
in just the first hour of this day.

Christine Swanberg, Wild Fruitions: Sonnets, Spells and Other Incantations (Puddin’head Press, 2017)