The sundress

I rarely wear dresses. They are for special occasions only. These days of retirement and pandemic, hanging around the house day in and day out - ha! Dresses have been absolutely nonexistent in my life. Yesterday, on yet another quiet, happy day at home with my husband, I decided to wear a sundress. Who knows why? Some combination of summer weather and being tired of wearing the same clothes. I wish you could have seen my husband's look of surprise! So funny. He had forgotten I even owned the dress - I had not worn it in over three years. In fact, I'd only ever worn it once...

...which sent us down memory lane, and I landed in this free verse poem:

yesterday, I wore my sundress, 

this lovely sundress

bought three years ago 

our 30th anniversary trip 

to Costa Rica

yes, I wore it 

on this marvelous day 

of adventure
where we walked 

and walked 

and walked 

yes, I wore it
to find the bus stop 

near our cottage
down, down, down this long hill
past the simple homes 

of metal and wood 
so much green

so many flowers

gorgeous hills in the distance

yes, I wore it 

on the hot bus, 
sticky and full 

with so many beautiful locals 

a sense of their lives

their dailyness

their kindness

their joy

yes, I wore it 

to the town of Sarchi
where bright and beautiful 

wood oxcarts are made 
where we stood in the park 

eating yummy greasy 

chicken and yucca fries 
where we wandered 

the small shops and vendors 

searching for 

who knows what 

to treasure
where we heard the solitary guitar 
where we felt 

the beautiful breezes and 

the gentle sunshine

yes, I wore it 

back to Grecia, 
where we got lost 

searching for a bus 

to take us back up that hill
where locals at the gas station 

saw the confusion in our eyes
offered just enough 

sweet caring English
to insist on driving us 

to the bus station

so we jumped in their car 

our hearts full of trust

yes, I wore it 

as we drove

squished in 

beside two unknown others

seatbeltless

in the backseat 

of a tiny old car

quickly quickly quickly 

across town
where we hugged goodbye
our dear old friends  

of five minutes

yes, I wore it 

as we ran 

jumped onto the departing bus
back up the long long long hill
where this time we knew

there was a closer stop 

an easier walk 

to our cottage

yes, I wore it 

returning to our home 

away from home
knowing so much more 

love and beauty

yesterday, I wore my sundress
and went back in time

___________________

It's Tuesday and I am participating in the

 Slice of Life.  

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for nurturing teacher-writers!

Watching - a poem

Today is the first day of January's 5-day poetry Open Write with Dr. Sarah Donovan's Ethical ELA! Today's inspiration is offered by Susie Morice and is entitled "Conversations" She invites us to listen to nature and imagine a conversation. I was immediately reminded of an amazing scene that Tony and I witnessed just above our house, as we returned from a walk the other day - and this is the poem that I wrote:

Watching

a bold, dark, sudden
flash of movement

above our heads

as we walked home

drawing our eyes upward

here we were

watching

that treacherous hawk again

every day for days on end

here is the hawk

separate, soaring, and stealth

right here where we live

intent on capturing

hurting

devouring

the most vulnerable

today though, a twist to the plot

suddenly 

a crowd of crows

common, ordinary, ubiquitous crows

encircle and confront the hawk

defending our home

such a wild scene ensued

high above the bare winter trees

a fierce fight, out in the open

these courageous crows

screeching and cawing

darting every which way

nipping at the hawk

pecking at its wings

all the while, insisting

get away from our home!

what have you done to our young?!

move along! we do not want you here!

we've put up with you long enough!

far below

the two of us stood in suspense

useless bystanders

watching

this angry confrontation

in the vast grey cold sky

watching

the crows

raucously yet triumphantly 

chase the hawk

away

Stainless Steel Sunrise

I am participating in the
 Slice of Life.  
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, 
on Tuesdays.
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!

I've been writing more poetry in recent weeks...there's something about this pandemic that has made poetry writing very attractive, very soothing for me. 

Today, all I have is a poem...this one poured out after my morning walk...

Stainless Steel Sunrise

A stainless steel sunrise,

bright, and fixed in the sky,

foreshadowing,

a utilitarian day ahead.

All I want to do is curl up in the fetal position and

be alone in a dark room,

but the day beckons like required surgery.

I must get through it.

Let’s begin with a slow walk

beneath the weeping willow branches

stretching over the path,

feel their soft, surprising caress

across the neck and shoulders.

Notice how the wind picks up,

swoops my hair high,

shifting it from one side to another,

back and forth,

stretching me to let go.

Witness the Black-eyed Susan that has

pushed through the crack in the concrete,

fearless and not to be denied.

Smile at the small dog following his owner,

being coaxed along on his leash,

and know

I am not the only one

who finds today hard.