Today the sun has mercy;
it wipes
the panes of glass,
glitters away every smudge,
all the caulk's
discolourations, all
old rain.
It lays graceful long hollows
in the walk, stretches
tree shadows,
making them huge
and stately
over the ground
I can walk through the crochet
of branches' finely-
knotted shadows,
have them move over me,
cast me in their nets,
as sun thickens the grass,
deepens the green,
and tells me
there is no sorrow
that light
will not try
to wipe away.

 -- for Joe Chelius, Herb, and Chris Bursk
"Mercy" from No Sorrow That Light Won't Try To Wipe Away by Pamela M. Perkins-Frederick. Used by permission of the poet and Rock Village Publishing. Copyright (C) 2006 by Pamela M. Perkins-Frederick