Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
dedicated to my beautiful son...
Blessed are the pure in heart.
So often we are told
Of saints whose names and daily deeds
Inscribed in books of gold
Are certain to be seeing God
In well-rewarding joy-
But when I see the pure in heart
I see a little boy.
He shins up trees and skins his knees,
Has lizards in a box;
He loves to read of dinosaurs,
Collects bright-colored rocks.
His grubby hands are gentle
On the coats of dogs and birds,
And he has a quiet wisdom in naivete of words.
I listen to his little prayers
At night with quiet joy-
And when I hear the pure in heart
I hear a little boy.
To question and to doubt;
He gravely takes his mother's words,
And that's what life's about.
Each day is gold, a shining thing
Without a wrong alloy-
And when I hold the pure in heart
I hold my little boy.
-Gwen Belson Taylor
