Not by birth
and not
in some ineffable way
by choice
but by spirit
and the
salt water tears
we have made our meat
baked the bread
shed the masks
wrapped restless hands in tender gauze
to curtail scab picking obsessions
sat behind each other
on mourning benches
rejoiced in
everything
everything
good
not by birth
not by choice
but by the spirit of the living God
I celebrate
my precious sisters