lenten journal: an open window

    4
    1102

    from the beginning, I suppose
    the point of Lent was to do
    something, or do without,
    for forty days – but when they
    started counting, they skipped
    the Sundays (“Little Easters”)
    so folks could catch their
    collective breaths, or find
    forgiveness, or just rest.

    I knew one person who
    called Sundays and Saint
    days “windows in Lent,”
    as though we needed fresh
    air and light to seep into
    these deep days of devotion.

    whether Saint Valentine is
    a window or a greeting card
    is of no consequence to me.
    With restaurant tables as our
    bookends to the day, we began
    over coffee and pancakes and
    finished with late night snacks.
    Because I’m in love I won’t write
    a thousand words tonight

    on purpose. I wanted to
    keep my promise to practice
    and I wasn’t going to miss
    the breeze the blew in
    the open lenten window
    tonight when she smiled at me.

    Peace,
    Milton