An encouraging day

Today was an encouraging day.

I received a standing ovation on the subway

Just for breathing.

All day long people kept coming up to me,

Complete strangers,

Shaking my hand

Congratulating me for having eyes,

For my genome,

For standing up, sitting down,

For being more or less OK.

Someone thanked me for today’s date,

I was given partial credit for the law of gravity,

For the length of things.

I was recognized for other people’s achievements,

For my mistakes,

For not having jumped off the balcony that bad night last November,

For the broken record in my brain.

After work, a delegation of citizens came out of nowhere

And gave me an award for massaging my grandchildren’s feet.

My loneliness was hailed on the front page of the Times.

Mom and Dad came back from the dead

And forgave me for everything.

Dogs and cats,

Fire hydrants and trees

They too had a good word for me.

The Security Council resolution recognizing my contribution

To something or other

Was icing on the cake.

What a day!

What an

Encouraging

Day!

                                         -- Panama, 23 March 2005