Your Daily Miracle--to a friend

You are like the bird

who in grey winter morning spied spring 

in the ruffled faces of my scented geranium

and flew for the glass.

The bird was a beautiful grey, streaked with white--

Stunned, it trembled

under folded wings.

Only the geranium witnessed the bird 

scrambling up on wire-thin feet;

Only the geranium watched it open its wings 

and fly up into the cherry tree's bare limbs.

Is this what it means to see in a mirror darkly?

To reach out to color from a world stunted with winter, 

to touch glass?

-

But what I meant to say to you is:

Never think this world too small for you.

The air holds the cry of osprey, sparrow, and jay.

Nor think yourself too small for this world.

Even in winter, moss grows bright between sidewalk cracks,
dusted with tiny red flowers.

And birds (not dead but only sleeping),

rise up on wings stronger than we can imagine.

Imagine--flying up through snow.