I stand vigil – a poem by Deborah Leipziger

I stand vigil

I stand vigil
Over your grief

Palm on my heart
I feel the pulse of your pain

Course through me
The open window, the birds, the rain
All stand sentry

Let me hold the grief
As though it were a tiny animal

In my palms
I will let it linger and moan

.

Deborah Leipziger is an author, poet, and professor. Her chapbook, Flower Map, was published by Finishing Line Press (2013).  In 2014, her poem “Written on Skin” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.  Born in Brazil, Ms. Leipziger is the author of several books on human rights and sustainability. She advises companies around the world on social and environmental issues. Her poems have been published in Salamander, Voices Israel, POESY, Wilderness House Review, Ibbetson Street, and the Muddy River Poetry Review. She is the founding co-editor of Soul-Lit.  http://flowermap.net/