Poem: Summer Brain

Whispered wonder under the apple tree. Branches reach down gently to brush small heads, spill emerald secrets, ivory glee, springtime mysteries eager to be read. Above, joyful clouds freckle shadows. Sun light baptizes their investigation. A zephyr sighs, twigs twirl, a gray squirrel runs, rose-breasted robins trill near the basin. Little eyes move on, butContinue reading “Poem: Summer Brain”

Poem: May Apple Tree

Burst into ivory finery like fragments of cloud for merely two weeks before summer peaks and petals flutter forward coiling into dandelion fluff tasting fresh-mown lawn and breathing earth’s heartbeat. Today, I’m joining in David’s weekly W3 prompt on The Skeptic’s Kaddish. Today’s prompt was suggested by A. J. Wilson, who provided these guidelines: 12Continue reading “Poem: May Apple Tree”

A #TankaTuesday Tanka

above the cloud line capturing wonders through frame earth’s beauty remains within our perceptive gaze and beyond all that we are This poem is for the Colleen’s weekly #TankaTuesday Challenge, brought to us this week from David at Skeptic’s Kaddish. Here was today’s prompt: “This is a photo of David’s father. Please be aware thatContinue reading “A #TankaTuesday Tanka”

Poem: Breaking Day

Dawn glow budding slowly smoothing frozen clock face whispering still breaker’s fury wait for sun’s break trills of birds spliced with traffic horns, lovers rise, lunches packed torrents crash sand’s solace Today, I’m participating in David’s W3 poetry prompt at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. Britta provided the following guidelines for the poem: “Write a poem onContinue reading “Poem: Breaking Day”

Poem: Perfect Imperfection

seashell solitude tangible imperfections glisten in water This past week, I had an amazing opportunity to attend a retreat of sorts for young adults who are cancer survivors. I spent five days in the Outer Banks of North Carolina surfing, exploring, and meeting other people in their twenties and thirties who understood on a personalContinue reading “Poem: Perfect Imperfection”

Poem: Interstate Dreams

Pastoral prairie splayed out before me in a dazzle of fern, mint, and emerald shades grass in dancing blades tossed like ocean waves in wind Cerulean gaze freckling clouded haze casting shadows along hills valley breeze blowing prancing trees showing frail cirrocumulus spills Poured concrete highway rushing underway passing through growth and flurry downwind fromContinue reading “Poem: Interstate Dreams”

The Toughest Lesson

A year ago this week, I finished the last infusion in my treatment course for stage 3 breast cancer. It was technically determined that I had no evidence of disease in the fall of 2020 after six rounds of “hard chemo” and surgery. (I jokingly refer to my fall 2020-spring 2021 course as “chemo light”.)Continue reading “The Toughest Lesson”

Poem: Gichigami Song

Lifting the smooth paddle skyward We dodge droplets and flow forward Frigid lake can’t suppress my grin Waves that buckle and bend with wind Lighthouse rises atop cliff peak Of storm-tossed ships its walls will speak Water rages, the bow ascends Waves that buckle and bend with wind I’m not typically drawn to poetry withContinue reading “Poem: Gichigami Song”

Learning to Let Go

My husband and I loaded the kids, the dog, and everything else we needed for a couple days on the road into the car late Friday morning. He’d already been into work earlier that morning, into which time I’d tried to force an entire day’s worth of grading, emailing, and student meetings while our threeContinue reading “Learning to Let Go”