0108 Today I Read A Poem Poem by Michael Shepherd

just now, today
and for a moment, thus
forever,
the heaviness of devil-darkened thought,
death in some disguise yet to be called out,
threatened grey ruin to the day
which is not mine
as that same devil, named, will not be mine -

so pushed aside my dinner plate
and read a poem

and rejoined the world of now
of sunshine, families, all
the heart loves
and mind turns grey

and into devil's grey, and death and life
stepped gratitude.