take your shoes off go outside tip your face toward the sky feel the cold clean droplets streak your chin and cheeks this blessing is called rain let it in go to the end of the path where it gathers inches deep follow your feet in let them recall the child to whom they once belonged let the water wrap its thumbs and fingers round your ankles silver circlets let them hold you there let the mud settle in the crescent of each toe listen the trees are praying kneel and lift a drowning worm from the puddle behold the string of blood within a single vein remember when the world fit in your hand remember not all blessings fall the same
