Next to Last Things
for Jutta Mason and David Cayley
each moment is a gift.
nothing is guaranteed.
so when she cups
your cheek in her hand
or when fresh cut flowers
scent the room
or the cardinal sings
atop the birch in the yard
or the sweetness of the port
lingers on your tongue
or the sunlight streaks through
low rosy clouds at dusk
remember this:
nothing is guaranteed.
each moment is a gift.