Questions to Answers

This morning when I went to work, I was greeted by robins, cardinals, titmice, bluebirds, and mockingbirds all singing their mating songs.

It made me think of this poem by my much-loved poet, Marvin Bell:

Questions to Answers

 

For my unique voice,

for my solitary vision,

I was given the song of a bird

outside my window

and all the of the songs that answered to it.

For my way with words,

for my unusual behavior, listen,

I was given an essence of chocolate

which only made me desire

all other chocolates.

For my individual grief,

for my perfect isolation,

I was given maps to mass graves

on every continent

and still for my feet I was given shoes

and for my hands gloves in winter

and now if I ask

whose shoes otherwise and whose

gloves if not mine

I offend those who liked my poems

for a while.

And this is why I have come to believe

That there are, to my questions,

Answers

After all.