God Is a Tree: and Other Middle-Age Prayers by Esther Cohen

"A tiny, fabulous book of poems, a distinctive quiet, humorous voice, about getting older. And who isn’t getting older? Sensible and yet original, nothing sentimental or smarmy, this is great great poetry couched in a ‘who, me?’ way. Esther Cohen has a brand new fan in me. I am going to buy a zillion copies of this, the perfect gift. Takes 2 0 minutes to read, if that, yet I know it will keep me company for years and years. I’d put it between Allen Ginsberg and a book of Rumi maybe. 

They’re tiny prayers, numbered. Here’s Twenty Nine:

“The truth is I’ve had

a hard time with forgiveness.

Revenge is easier.

Last year I read four forgiveness books,

talked to a few serious Christians and Jews

even a Buddhist a Hindu a Sikh and an

agnostic. I don’t intuitively

turn the other cheek, and don’t know how.

And I’m talking about pettiness,

not wars or larger wrongs.

I’d like to learn, and thought one way might be

to say the word three times each day:

forgive

forgive

forgive

Amen" - Janet, Goodreads