October 12th

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable to you,
    O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14


they are not prayers, those
tumbling, mumbling, rumbling words,
some sharp as knives
others as careless as slipping
on an icy sidewalk.
they are not mindfulness aids, those
whispers lingering in the quiet
corners of my soul,
those fears masked as wisdom,
those sighs hiding meanness.
yet, you do not stop listening,
but sift through every syllable,
hoping to find just one tiny spark
of grace flickering in the shadows.
so now, today, in some moments,
hopefully more than i realize,
sew kindness in my words,
let me breathe in sync with you,
and when the words start to
rumble, tumble, jumble, mumble—
steady them (and me) until
i sing praises once again.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman