The Blessing of the Old Woman, the Tulip, and the Dog

by Emily

Alicia Ostriker

To be blessed
said the old woman
is to live and work
so hard
God’s love
washes right through you
like milk through a cow

 

To be blessed
said the dark red tulip
is to knock their eyes out
with the slug of lust
implied by
your up-ended skirt

 

To be blessed
said the dog
is to have a pinch
of God
inside you
and all the other
dogs can smell it
The subjects chosen and the ways they describe being blessed, just brilliant. So many choices made and such right ones.