A poem a day for 2013 - day 178 - Gratitude

It's 1:18am and I am at home
I am thankful for running out of gas at midnight
In Inglewood and leaving work early
And feeling my car drift to stillness in the middle of the road
On the corner of 67th and Gay and
How ironic that I should run out if gas on a street called Gay
With all the celebration in the gay community just yesterday
And I never said I wasn't the corniest poet I know personally
And mostly I am thankful that the Universe is ever lining situations together
So that they fit tight as my grandmother's pearl necklace
She wore with her white dress on first Sundays
Because somebody might hear the voice of God and come
Begging what must I do to be saved
And be baptized that night
I am thankful for friends I call family who were ten minutes away
Driving by
Eager to help a sista like me out of gas
I am thankful for hugs in the middle of the night
Because when is a better time to embrace your sister your brother
Except under the moon
Under the moon where all hugs began
My first kiss was under moon
I am thankful for the gas can in my trunk
Do not try to figure out why I had a gas can
And no gas
There is often something missing in my prepared
I am thankful for late night emergency calls to friends
And gas runs
And pushing the car and steering the ride to get it out the street
What good is a poem called gratitude if you can't be honest with the world
Or at least yourself
I am thankful I am loved at all
I am thankful for gas in my ride
For friends who love me like sister
For being home
For an early and long day tomorrow
But who cares about a long and early day
When I am out of the red
Safe in my bed