Tuesday poem #504 : Ori Fienberg : The Spirit Lifts Us

 

My beverage depot wants to save me
money on my favorite spirits, and I thank
them, then agonize over choosing favorites. 

Some days it’s so hard to rise I can barely
bring myself to place the right offerings by
my favorite shrines. Hallway eucalyptus, 

burnt toast offering in the kitchen, daily
shower squeegee strokes, and the wads
of fragrant cinnamon gum gently smoothed 

beneath a train station seat; next, standing
in prayer, left hand clenching rubber, the right
balancing in air in unison with the supplicant 

commuters, on our way to our sacred jobs
or skipping work to thank each open flower
at the Botanic Garden, despite my allergies, 

or because of them, sneezing vigorously,
so when nurturing volunteers pat the mulch
by roses and say, “Bless You”, I can share.

 

 

 

 

Ori Fienberg is the author of Old Habits, New Markets (elsewhere press, 2021). His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in venues including the Cincinnati Review, the Dallas Review, Essay Daily, Heavy Feather Review, Obliterat, Pank, Sixth Finch, and Subtropics. Ori teaches poetry writing for Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies. Read more at orifienberg.com and follow @ArtfulHerring for poetry and political tweets.

the Tuesday poem is curated by rob mclennan