I heard You singing, beloved,
as some teenage girls skipped by
on the beach, after posing in the waves
with total abandon.

God, it was beautiful.

You take my breath away.
You give it back.
If I ever need to know any more
about gratitude, here it is:
just hold this breath
as long as possible.

When it eventually bursts out,
I know again the generosity of life,
and its inevitable power.

Joy, joy, joy!
It is the ancient sky that keeps us sane,
even in days of madness.

Good God. Joy!
Joy will never leave,
nor turn you away when,
finally, you return to the garden
singing this same song of praise
with no thought, no duration...

Nothing but the mercy
that grounds all being,
and nourishes me, here and now,
with this breathless note of love.