The first hint of daybreak,
and the musician,
perched in his tree,
tentatively tunes up his instrument
and emits a lone note, short and sweet,
like the “ping!” of a silver triangle,
soft at first, but following the sheet music
he repeats the note over and over,
stronger and steadier,
encouraging the other musicians
to pick up their instruments
as they have done countless times before,
to follow the invisible maestro
who guides them in joyous symphonic praise
that serves as a clarion call,
to remind us daily to rejoice
to all that is, and isn’t-
to all that was, and will be-
and to give thanks, all ways.
Mary Springer works in social services with the aging and disabled in New York City. She is a 30+ year native of Greenwich Village, and has been writing poetry all that time as well. A lifelong practicing Catholic, she has used this sequestered period of time as an opportunity to reach out more to her community. A recent poem, Where Are You?, was featured on the WNYC Gothamist website.