On Tenderness

When the surgeon finally came out

and told us it went very well,

and explained

the five delicate bypasses

that have saved your husband’s life,

we walked the hills of the old mill city,

our own hearts working hard.

You went ahead, marching off worry,

but I meandered

savoring all I could of everything alive.

On the sidewalk,

just before I stepped,

I saw the small discarded shell

of a robin’s egg.

I lifted it close to my face,

felt its tiny weight in my palm,

almost imperceptible,

and let its turquoise light feed

a morsel of its goodness to me.

I turned and placed

the beautiful shell of egg

on a dandelion

already gone to puff.

It is a tender business

to care for what is precious.

A few of the pappus floated away

but robin’s egg blue rested lightly

on what remained, and held there,

surprisingly, swaying slightly:

an offering of gratitude

on the delicate altar of delicate things. 

c. Kate Young Wilder

    May, 2023