surrounded

i sit on my back porch this morning
in the middle of
this neighborhood
this town
this country
in the middle of
this week
this month
this year

completely secluded by the green
nestled safely in my spot

surrounded by
the sounds of the world
coming to life
the cacophony of starlings
hidden in the mulberry
a car grumbling to a start
and driving away
a dog barking frantically
in the distance
a roofer’s hissing nail gun
laying shingles
before the heat of the day

nearby and far away
so many stories
that I will never know

bless all of our beginnings
God
keep us safe and brave
as we face this new day

help us to remember
that our stories
are interwoven
even when we feel

far apart

By Maria Brady-Smith
Photo by Mike Smith