If you just lost everything in a fire
If the floods have taken it all away
If the diagnosis is worse
than anything you imagined
If the pain just won’t let up
If you are afraid for the life
of your grown-up child
If you can’t keep a baby growing
If your failing parent is far far away
And you can’t afford to travel
If you spend every day in the car outside
the worksite of your toddler’s father
singing to the baby and praying each moment
that ICE won’t come today
If you are hiding in the hills with no place to go
because the trailers for the workers
burned down
If you can’t go outside
without some jerk shouting comments
about every aspect of your body
If you fear for your life
when you see a police car
If you fear for the life of your son
If you worry every day
about what kind of world
this is for raising your children
If you’re scared of the man
with his hand on the button
If you’re afraid of what’s happening
to your marriage
Come to my house.
Come sit on the porch a while.
Look up at the trees. Listen to the quiet.
Allow peace to enter your heart.
A dragonfly darts to and fro above the yard
and butterflies silently flutter.
Hummingbirds drink from the feeders
and bees work in the clover.
There are wind chimes of metal
and one of bamboo
and they sway
sometimes sounding
in the breeze.
Come sit on the porch,
or lie down if you prefer.
We have many different kinds of chairs.
Breathe in the sweet air.
Gaze up into blue sky.
See the bright colors of the zinnias.
I will bring you something
delicious to drink
and if it is cool I will tuck you in
with a blanket
You can lie back and rest and relax
And just leave it all to me.
My love will wrap around you
and you will know you are safe
and nothing will ever hurt you
again.
Come sit on the porch a while.
Come on up and rest.
I am here waiting
just
for you.