Bringing in the Day

A mother wakes before her children
To experience silence,
To pray for strength.

A man stands at the window
Each morning, coffee in hand,
And watches shadow
Turn to light.

An old woman descends
The same stairs,
Sits in the same worn chair
And opens her prayer book.
She reads slowly
Then stares off
Into the candle light.

How many of us are there
Who bring in the day
This way?

Waking to bird call,
Silently waiting,
Reading,
Praying,
Listening,
Breathing in
This day’s beginning.

Young and old,
Man and woman,
We hear dawn’s call,
‘Seek ye first.”

This is how we come to life—
By noticing.
And noticing is a gift
To the world.

By Maria Brady-Smith
Photo by Mike Smith