Three Gratitudes

Every night before I go to sleep
I say out loud
Three things that I’m grateful for,
All the significant, insignificant
Extraordinary, ordinary stuff of my life.
It’s a small practice and humble,
And yet, I find I sleep better
Holding what lightens and softens my life
Ever so briefly at the end of the day.
Sunlight, and blueberries,
Good dogs and wool socks,
A fine rain,
A good friend,
Fresh basil and wild phlox,
My father’s good health,
My daughter’s new job,
The song that always makes me cry,
Always at the same part,
No matter how many times I hear it.
Decent coffee at the airport,
And your quiet breathing,
The stories you told me,
The frost patterns on the windows,
English horns and banjos,
Wood Thrush and June bugs,
The smooth glassy calm of the morning pond,
An old coat,
A new poem,
My library card,
And that my car keeps running
Despite all the miles.

And after three things,
More often than not,
I get on a roll and I just keep on going,
I keep naming and listing,

Until I lie grinning,
Blankets pulled up to my chin,
Awash with wonder
At the sweetness of it all.

Click here to listen to the poet, Carrie Newcomer, read her poem

Posted by kind permission of Carrie Newcomer. To discover more of Carrie’s work, visit her website.

Carrie Newcomer

Carrie Newcomer is a songwriter, poet & podcast co-host with 19 nationally released CDs and 3 books of poetry. She often catches something luminous from the corner of her eye, chuckles at things no one is noticing & lives in the woods with 2 rescue dogs. Learn more and support her work at carrienewcomer.substack.com.

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