is slop buckets knocking
against each other
and a towel cart
squeaking down the hall
and grease stains
worked into cracked palms.
Today’s sermon is
red-wing blackbirds
dive-bombing a raven
with yolk on its beak.
Today’s sermon is
spring leaves as tiny
soldiers receiving
soot with open hands.
Today’s sermon is
a fifteen-dollar
garage sale bike
and now the kid
can ride to school
like everybody else.
Today’s sermon is
dragging grace around
like a rust-eaten wagon
pretending it’s whole.
—from Rattle #67, Spring 2020
Students of Kim Addonizio
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Cheryl Dumesnil: (web)