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

[Degare]

Your writing, I feel has this incandescence, a cadence so liminally amphibian, and weaving too, with tranquils of emotion and color. Ephemeral purgatories inhaled through brimming of intricate sensibility, your writing blitzes around the soft corners of the heart.

The perception of humanity and the soul has an object of continuous metamorphoses, and that too, accentuated by waltzes of time...loved the animism, but more importantly I think you luminated it's innate transcendence. Meaning by itself doesnt ask to be saturated, but finds itself falling into place, bit by bit, even though we can forever ponder over "what it all means".

Degare

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Degare. I truly appreciate the care and depth of your reflection. It is wonderful to see the poem resonate with you in such a nuanced way, noticing the interplay of emotion, time, and the spirit of nature. Your words give me a fresh perspective on the layers I was trying to convey, and I am deeply grateful for your thoughtful engagement. Your reflection is even more beautiful and evocative than the poem itself, and I truly appreciate it.

[Chris Shaw]

This played out in slow motion RomaJ. Small is indeed beautiful, meaningful and has its own song. Our avian friends teach us a great deal about life. There was a lovely innocence in the visuals. We have sparrows in our garden from time to time. God’s creatures. Beautiful poetry.

Chris

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, Chris. I’m glad the poem resonated with you. I love that you have sparrows visiting your garden..they really do teach us a lot about patience, persistence, and the beauty in small, ordinary things. I’m so happy the visuals felt gentle and innocent, you have a beautiful way with words and I appreciate it.

[red93]

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[red93]

Almost Shakespearean in its resonances this piece - so many strong lines, so many strong images - small is indeed beautiful. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, red. I really appreciate your kind words. I’m glad the small details and images came through;sometimes it’s the quiet, simple moments that feel the most meaningful. Your encouragement means a lot.

[Jansy]

It's like a prayer whispered to the natural world, tender, reverent, and luminous in its simplicity. A Sparrow’s Benediction doesn’t just describe holiness; it enacts it. Each line turns the ordinary into revelation, as if grace itself were being translated into language.

“The soft persistence of living without applause” is a quiet, powerful rebuke to our hunger for validation. The sparrow’s beauty is inherent, its purpose self-contained; it lives and labors not for recognition, but simply to be. In that simplicity lies its holiness.

The poem reminds us that true dignity isn’t measured by attention, but by sincerity. The grace of existing, unseen yet steadfast.

[RomaJ]

Jansy, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review. It really means a lot to me. To be honest, I just can’t bring myself to log into that site anymore. Nothing dramatic happened, I just lost interest in the game. I still appreciate the time I spent there, and I do play the Dragon Fire events sometimes. Maybe I’ll see you around. My castle is in K8, and I usually just leave it there because 8 feels like a lucky number. No one bothers it..not even scout. Thanks again for the kind words and the HxH fam.

[Jansy]

Why am I getting haters just because I reviewed your poem?

[RomaJ]

Jansy, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that. I truly have no idea why anyone would react that way. Your review was thoughtful and kind, and I really appreciate the time and care you gave it. Try not to let it get to you..some people just look for reasons to be unkind. Please know your words were valued and respected.

[ShadesofV]

This is such a quietly luminous piece. It finds holiness in the smallest moments and makes the ordinary feel sacred. The closing image, especially, lingers like morning light. A truly beautiful meditation on grace and presence.

This poem reminds us that we don’t need to step inside a church to experience reverence. It’s all around us, in small lives and fleeting moments, if we’re still enough to notice.

[RomaJ]

Thank you, Nick. I downloaded the app, but I haven’t posted anything there yet. I think I’ll just focus on this site for now since I’m already on Starsrite too. I’ll still check in to read and review your work and others. Your words really mean a lot to me. I love how you described it as “quietly luminous.” That sense of holiness in small moments is exactly what I hoped to capture, and I’m so glad the closing image stayed with you.

[Betty Hermelee]

Even the smallest of the small can have a holy, quiet, faithful existence...as you show us in the sparrow's life.."This quiet vigilance of the wild"....."the sound of being alive".... it need not be in a fancy church...."grace is this small, this fleeting, this faithful"; "the gentle weight of existence"..... your words are as light and feathery as is the sparrow itself....in this case the cathedral is the sparrow's nest... and you show us the delicateness of it in this beautifully crafted piece.
Warmly, B
'

[RomaJ]

Thank you so much, B. your words truly touched me. I love how you described the sparrow’s nest as the cathedral; that image captures exactly what I hoped to express. I’m so glad the poem’s quietness and smallness resonated with you. Your reflections mean a lot . They feel like an echo of the poem itself. Thank you

[Betty Hermelee]

My pleasure Roma
Warmly, B

[Carrie]

Each heartbeat a quiet prayer, so much better then a cathedral nice to be able to see the blessing in a small bird

[RomaJ]

Thank you, Carrie. I really love how you put that, seeing the blessing in a small bird. That’s exactly what I hoped the poem would express, that quiet holiness in the ordinary.

[Carrie]

You did it well