To Peel One's Eyes
Mary Winters
That Saturday afternoon around 3:00
you prayed: just this once let me
know in full I am alive; for just this
one moment make me all aware of my
existence; existence in this certain
body at this certain time in this
certain apartment sitting on this
certain couch in this certain sweater
with this certain son staring at a
most beautiful snow storm sluicing
down fast and mad from foggy skies
off the front of the limestone
building opposite. You prayed not
to stop time, not to give thanks;
only to be a microscope, to see
with eyes full open for once, only
to be all eyes, only to feast your
eyes just this once for just this
one moment: the snow, the sofa,
the son, the sweater.
