Three Good Things

At day’s end I remember

three good things.

Apples maybe – their skinshine smell

and soft froth of juice.

Water maybe – the pond in the park

dark and full of secret fish.

A mountain maybe – that I saw in a film,

or climbed last holiday,

and suddenly today it thundered up

into a playground game.

Or else an owl – I heard an owl today,

and I made bread.

My head is full of all these things,

it’s hard to choose just three.

I let remembering fill me up

with all good things

so that good things will overflow

into my sleeping self,

and in the morning

good things will be waiting

when I wake.

Jan Dean