In the Home Depot Parking Lot

In the Home Depot Parking Lot

Grace Claire Przywara

This is for the two-year-olds who cannot be understood because they speak half English and half God. Shake the dust. — Anis Mojgani, “Shake the Dust”

Didn’t Adam babble? Could more be done?
Language sprung from pure ecstasy of breath,
untouched by culture, colony, or death:
those sure first words of God’s first earthly son.
The eighth psalm sings that glory is chanted
by the mouths of babes and infants—bulwark:
gibberish so true and strong as stonework.
Things kept from wise, to childlike granted.
And so the toddler recounts his story
from his car seat in the rearview mirror:
ley dun kar dey dah dah: chanted glory.
To angels, what language could be clearer?
Heart-sprung poetry as offertory—
the front-seat mother a blessèd hearer.

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Grace Claire Przywara
Poet & Writer

Grace Claire Przywara is a mother and poet from South Carolina. Her poetry has appeared in Amethyst Review, Heart of Flesh Literary Journal, among others, and has placed in contests hosted by human rights organizations Rehumanize International and Catholic Mobilizing Network. Her work can be found at graceclairepoetry.com.

Photography by Arun Clarke