Image by Melissa Askew from Unsplash

Gathering Joy

by Veronica McDonald

I gather joy

around me like a blanket.

You feel as warm as kindergarten

like a gentle cotton cloud

against chubby baby fingers

covered in white paste.

Like that feeling called home

when home wouldn’t do.

An invisible best friend

as natural as nature itself

like everything was made by You

for You, of You, even the strings

keeping time in my heart.

You pluck one and all stress

is unraveled in music

like the undressing of a sweater

too warm, too tight

for this life.

You knit and unknit the

stitches from where I tore myself

in the patches You wanted to heal⁠—

You made my threads, You

know how they go⁠—

only You can fix me

bring me back into

design

About Veronica McDonald

McDonald is a poet, fiction writer, artist, and the editor/founder of Heart of Flesh Literary Journal. She became a born-again Christian in July 2016 when Jesus saved her from anxiety, depression, and a nihilistic worldview. Learn more about her work on her website and Facebook.