Hallelujah 

Just open one of the doors and holler
air out your lungs
and holler
a hallelujah or a benediction,

a pleasing rhyme 
to break the day.

Holler and go
the way a hummingbird drinks     hums
        flies   flees
here 
  then           gone.

Leave a penny for the tears that fall
from small eyes 
but not a dime               and don’t think too much of it.

Today we’re little and today we watch talk
shows with our mom or mama or 
grandma or meemaw. We laugh 
how our dog smiles
(I mean big wide teeth let loose.)

Just open one of the doors            and fly,
arms flapping if you want to

No Hail Mary’s, no Wait For Me’s,
as fast as you can is the ticket.

I’ll air out my lungs and holler,
a prayer no longer hidden in my sleeve
but as loud and vigorous as
the first cry you ever made,

a benediction and a hallelujah—

When they wanted to wipe my blood off of you 
I should have said just leave it be.