Jeweled Arms Of Love

O holy Lord, we pray to thee,

Throughout the night our guardian be;

In thee vouchsafe us to repose,

All peaceful till the night shall close.

                                                                   Universalis Hymn

                                                                                                     Painting by: Jenifer Slayton

(For Maya On Her Fifteenth Birthday)

I remember that dry summer 
building our house 

while camping in the lower field;

how the fireflies appeared, mid-dusk,
on my daughter's fourth birthday  
while lying in our netted bed,

with the baby sleeping and my husband and son

on a great lake far away:

how we stayed up late watching

their dazzling

dancing over the dark-

blue floors

of the fields

into the mottling

shadows of

the crowded

trees;

how her voice sung

"Do it again! Do it again!"

to the solitary lightning

bug flickering 

on the back of her hand.

But I remember best

 the sparkling 

floating

in the night-globe air,

in her eyes shining

like lakes 

of stars--

deepening flashes

flecked with dream

and delight;

the soft hands 

of thankfulness

unfolding

the silks of sleep;

how God came close,

bending low,

wrapping

around us

 the jeweled

arms of love 

from the vaults

of night.