This week brings us poetry!
Reminders of hope, in a time that feels dim and the things that bring us back from the ailments of our bodies.
TWO POEMS
by Rebecca Street
How could I have forgotten the sweet easy inviting comfort
writing a poem brings to my soul? Why I might have penned
my fanciful fear ridden flights even with fever, aches, nausea,
tightness. What power have ills to stop my heart from pouring
forth words of truth and freedom? Freedom’s not for sale here
in this sick room where I listen to the wind; it is mine mine mine.
No virulent virus can rob me of its majesty or imprison my spirit.
A sleek black bird perches outside my bedroom window
as if to say, Good Morning. I know nothing of this virus,
only that the sky is still blue; the wintry wind invites me
to cease flapping my wings; the air is clean and all is well.
And so it is. The sky is still blue; the wind shares secrets;
and the blessed air is far cleaner than when we hurried
humans, now at rest, sullied it with our bustling business.
Rebecca’s Website:
www.youcanhelpsurvivors.com
Tile Floor
Anonymous
My breath steadies
mellowing
slowly
as the blurred vision
clears
I stretch out
so that every inch
of me
may touch that ground
while the sound of my partner's
voice trickles through
Name three things you ate today
Name three things you see in this room
Name three smells you smell right now
I name them
I breathe
I let the coolness
surround me
I'm still here.
Blurred vision
A cool tile floor-
The anxiety comes in waves
Sparked by something
minuscule
Until It cannot wait
Any longer
Pouring out of me
uncontrollably
While my breath tries
Tries tries tries
I lay there hoping
Squeezing myself
inward
Eyes closing quickly
begging my anxiety
as if it were alive-
Please go away
Please not tonight
Please go quiet
The cool tile floors
Remind me of my senses
I can feel that!
I can feel the cold hard ground
If I can feel that
Then I’m still
Here
Call for Submissions!
We are putting out a call seeking stories from or about Essential Workers.
While many of us are experiencing the challenges of "stay at home," frontline essential workers continue to risk their health and safety to perform the jobs necessary for us to be able to be safe at home.
If you are an essential worker with a story to share, or if you have a story about how your life has been impacted by the important work of an essential worker, please submit a story here.
