A Sparrow's Benediction

A sparrow lands on a branch,

a small, feathered cathedral.

Holiness is not reserved

for spires or stained glass;

it is found here,

in a flutter of feathers,

where the forgotten

are nonetheless enough.

It gathers what it can,

thread by twig,

bit by bit,

the way we gather days,

hoping they will hold.

No one marks

the shape of its labor,

the soft persistence

of living without applause.

Its song is simple,

not a learned hymn,

but the steady, raw pulse of being.

Each heartbeat a quiet prayer;

it knows the language of the wind.

And yet

the air folds around it

like a benediction.

A single note

falls from its beak,

not song, not sorrow,

just the sound of being

alive

for another dawn.

When it lifts,

the light follows.

The branch forgets

the light it once held.

I remember that love watches

even the smallest wings,

that all is noticed,

and every living thing leaves an imprint,

even if it's temporary.

Grace is this small,

this fleeting, this faithful:

the gentle weight

of existence,

the quiet vigilance of the wild.

In this perfect symmetry of light,

for one fleeting moment,

nothing was unseen.

Reviews

[Soren]

A most spiritual poem that wonderfully blends scriptural words of God's awareness of even the sparrows with nature. Here the building of its own chapel as a nest is a great touch as to how nature and God are one and the same and our daily tasks become religious rituals. This poem is masterfully written and leaves a feeling of reconciliation between nature and man's turning it into religion. My compliments on a true masterpiece of spiritual sensitivity.

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Soren. I truly appreciate your kind and thoughtful words. I love how you noticed the connection between the sparrow’s simple acts and the spiritual dimension of daily life. It means a lot to hear that the poem resonated with you and that the sense of reconciliation came through. Your reflection deepens my own appreciation for what I tried to capture.

[Soren]

You are most welcome

[Michael]

Roma, A Sparrow’s Benediction is so lovely, so gently written, like a quiet love song hummed in the heart. When I read:
“No one marks
the shape of its labor,
the soft persistence
of living without applause.”
I choked up. For these days I am learning how to live without applause. Thank you for sharing your gift.

[RomaJ]

Michael, your thoughts are very much appreciated. Sometimes I feel like what I do is pointless and meaningless. Sometimes I feel like I’m on autopilot and no one notices my efforts. Living without applause is something I try to remind myself of too. When I feel sad, I look to nature. Even this small bird stays busy living their little lives with such quiet joy. It reminds me that God sees us. He watches over us and notices every effort. That helps me keep going, just trying to do my best, because even when it doesn't feel like it, someone sees us and appreciates all we do, even when we don’t notice it.

[Michael]

Thank you Roma, I so much needed your words of reply, they are such an important reminder of God’s grace-filled watchfulness over our lives even when it feels like no one is there. Blessed are your feet for running this good news to my heart!

[RomaJ]

Oh Michael, I appreciate you so much. Your thoughts are a light as well. You have a kind heart, a kind soul.. and I can feel it in your words. God bless you, my friend and you bring good news that speaks not only to my heart but to all who reads your words. You are appreciated. Thank you.

[Michael]

Bless you kind, dear, Roma. Your words mean a lot.

Michael

[carl]

superb piece - so lovely - carl ( I came back for the rating - don't know if it matters but I had to )

[RomaJ]

I appreciate you

[carl]

one of the prettiest writings I have read in a very long time - the benediction is beautiful, such lovely expressions" - love watches even the smallest wings, that all is noticed, and every living thing leaves an imprint, even if it's temporary." This is truly how I personally believe God sees the world. with your acceptance I paraphrase ( in each fleeting moment, nothing is unseen ) what a joy and a burden that must be -carl

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Carl. Your words mean a great deal to me. I’m deeply touched by how thoughtfully you received this poem ..and I love your paraphrase, “in each fleeting moment, nothing is unseen.” That captures the heart of what I hoped to express. There’s both grace and ache in that awareness, isn’t there? The joy of being witnessed, and the weight of knowing every moment matters.

[Stella Armour]

Quite beautiful Roma, i knew it would be before i started to read . You have this lovely ethereal quality of grace that comes through your poetry.
The small things that few of us see become the most important way of understanding love , love of the universe the highest adoration we know.

[RomaJ]

Thank you, Stella. That means a lot coming from you. I’ve always felt that the smallest things..like a bird’s breath or the way light rests on a branch..carry the quiet truths we often miss. I’m so glad that sense of grace came through to you.

[Stella Armour]

i relate to your poetry so well Roma, it is a pleasure to read ...

Stella

[Coyote Poetry]

The complete poem was so wonderful.
"Grace is this small,
this fleeting, this faithful:
the gentle weight
of existence,
the quiet vigilance of the wild."
I adored the above lines. I feed the birds, the wild cats and the squirrels daily. We need to see the beauty of all things. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Coyote. I truly appreciate your kind words and your connection to those lines. It warms my heart to know you care for the birds and other creatures; you understand the quiet grace and beauty in their everyday presence. Your compassion reflects the very spirit that inspired this poem. Thank you for sharing that and for your thoughtful response.

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure dear Roma and you are welcome.

[Neville]

Incredible poetry Roma .. If I had faves my friend then this, would be up there amongst them .. Neville

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Neville. It truly warms my heart. Thank you for your kind and sweet words. I truly appreciate it.

[Jansy]

Where you at girl? Did you go back to playing LM, now that I joined your poetry site? My farm castle just got zeroed but my main has 36 million troops. All f2p heroes though. J, you have a powerful castle, if you're not using it, can I take it for a spin? I just want the experience of not having to use a shield 24!
/7. This poetry site is lit. I think more drama here than in-game world chat. Da is coming up. I'll join mon if your castle is still there.

I only have 3 friends on this site. So I'm just reading their poetry and yours. See you in game.

[RomaJ]

lol, James. Thanks for sharing this.

[Thomas W Case]

Beautiful work. Powerful.

[RomaJ]

Thomas, thank you for pausing with me and for your kind read and review. It's much appreciated

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Everyone is important. The sparrow represents the little guy that no one pays attention to. Not a Cardinal or a Hawk or an Eagle...or a bully Raven or Grackle...
But no matter what our level in class, no matter what our job...we all count.
Even with the smallest wings.
j.

[RomaJ]

Thank you, j. I really appreciate your reflection. I wanted the sparrow to symbolize the quiet, often overlooked lives that still matter deeply. It is heartening to hear that this came through for you, and that the poem resonates as a reminder that every life, no matter how small or humble, carries significance.

[John the Baptist]

This one is definitely a heavy. It tells us that the most important things are not necessarily the most spectacular. The sparrow goes about its business unnoticed, "living without applause," and yet its ways and those of many other humble creatures, are the essence of life. It reminds us that "nothing was unseen," including us, regardless of how humdrum we might think our lives are.

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I am glad that the poem resonated with you. I wanted to highlight the quiet dignity and significance of ordinary life, and it means a lot to hear that the sparrow’s simple presence and its unseen labors came through. Your reflection captures the heart of what I was hoping to convey, that even the smallest lives and actions are noticed and carry meaning.