That shrimp plant
so determined to be seen
poking through the ginger and the fig
like a four year old
waving skinny arms and red cheeks
to those towering above

That shrimp plant
grown from cuttings of a friend
who no longer lives in this country
from a house
that has since burned down

That shrimp plant
breaks at its knobby knees and elbows
when the wind blows too hard
drops to the ground
and grows again

Universe
today I pray
please
please grant us the resilience
of that shrimp plant

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Rev. Deanna Vandiver

Deanna Vandiver is a community minister in New Orleans, LA, serving as the Executive Director for the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal (http://www.celjsr.org).Since she accepted the call to ministry, she has not experienced one boring day.Good music, good food, and good friends have sustained her through heck and high water and she has a practice of gratitude for the wonders of this life.

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