Favorite

by Wayne-Daniel Berard

I have a feeling that each
of us lives in their favorite
scene the backdrop the
default setting of our lives
Me, I sit at an arched window
my first night in the magic
I look over the moon-pathed
lake (who cares if it’s spotlight
over backyard pool) I stroke
snowy owl beside me who is
actually Albee our cat and I’m
home
your son (but mine too)
and his girlfriend upstairs your
mom (my bestie) watching late
Red Sox from Oracle Park, across
the breezeway your sister and
her husband in barn renovated
against all ill winds
and you
who moves through every picture
every scene opening all the doors
password “Kiss me good night”
I just did
they’re all my house-mates
but tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow you
teach me flight.

until finally

I don’t know where
the manna comes from
I don’t know how
the quail appear
I thought it was
just a story but
here here here
they are every
morning every
day I should
have starved
by now throat
closed like a
cockroach prayer
but the water is
as sweet and
everywhere as
air fresh air
the freshest air
and the eagles
came for frodo
and harry woke
up in the arms
of giant and I,
I shall not want.
Oh Hero of the
Realm! Lumos
yourself like
sunflower at
night prayer,
shema shema
shema until
ears unpop
depressurize,
wrestle yourself
through the dark
gate that opens
enfin on today’s
dunkies with cream
that you sip beside
the tree-lily
yellow pink and real
as lore
repeating itself until
we get it right

BIO

Wayne-Daniel Berard, PhD, is an educator, poet, writer, shaman, sage, and Gryffindor. An adoptee and former Franciscan seminarian, his adoption search led to the discovery and embrace of his Jewishness. Wayne-Daniel is a Peace Chaplain, an interfaith clergy person and former college chaplain. He is the author of 12 published books, including Little Ghosts on Castle Floors, Poems Informed by the Potterverse (Kelsay Books 2022). He lives in Mansfield, MA, with his wife, The Lovely Christine and their cats, Harry and Albus.