Take These Words

Take these words
you’ve already written

and these too while you’re at it
the ones you wrote quickly
afraid you would forget

that bit of wisdom

yes, even the poetry that fell from his lips
take that too
especially that

as well as all your calculations
and calendars and to do lists
take it all, all of it

knowing
you need not cling to what was
or what could have been

your hands and heart
know the way
to transform even what is reckless,
unruly, forgotten
and no longer true

into delight
delight that is yours
to create.