Can you?

Photo by rfishw

Can you, for just a minute

leave

the white tablecloth, the washing, the sorting, the scanning

the lists, the date books, the .coms, the inbox, the words, the numbers

the goals, the resolutions, the plans, the labels, the schedule, the old

stories
the scars, the scales, the bruises, the pains, the aches

the what ifs, the should haves, the pointing fingers, the too small boxes, the questions, the containers, the dividers, the protectors 

the sickening
paralyzing 
expectations?

Can you, for just a minute

hush

the voices that howl madly

at your old, tired
cowering

little self?

For a brave minute or two

can you pry open the bars

and listen

to the wordless--

to the hum 

between

to that which births snowflakes 
and stars and sighs

and moonlit little streams?

On this frozen winter night

when your heart

especially needs warming, I'm wondering

can you, for just a minute

get quiet enough to hear

the silent 
flutter

of this one precious

life

of this one 
precious breath?