“Comfort”

It comes to us through a long line of languages
split by Babel, we know it when we feel it
no matter how diverse its pronunciations: conforten,
the cheer we receive pumped from the heart of another,
consolation from a conforter in the midst of grief,
a circle of solace inscribed by one such
infusing us with strength, a gift of generosity,
confortare: strengthening much,
pulling us out of the solitude of angst
into the fort of us

Jim Culleny, 4/30/23