Today's Beautiful Gem: `Benediction' by Stanley Kunitz.

"God banish from your house The fly, the roach, the mouse
That riots in the walls Until the plaster falls;
Admonish from your door The hypocrite and liar;
No shy, soft, tigrish fear Permit upon your stair,
Nor agents of your doubt. God drive them whistling out.
Let nothing touched with evil, Let nothing that can shrivel
Heart's tenderest frond, intrude Upon your still deep blood.
Against the drip of night God keep all windows tight,
Protect your mirrors from Surprise, delirium,
Admit no trailing wind Into your shuttered mind
To plume the lake of sleep With dreams. If you must weep
God give you tears, but leave You secrecy to grieve,
And islands for your pride, And love to nest in your side.
God grant that, to the bone, Yourself may be your own;
God grant that I may be (My sweet) sweet company."

Om s'aantih: Peace! - J. K. Mohana Rao

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