Heart Work

Ready to Make Friends with Poetry? ⟶

I stroll in for a ‘few’ groceries at The Hundred Dollar Store, stopping first for what passes for sustenance (never shop when you’re hungry). The bright-eyed toddler tossed in the air before me while parents wait for pizza, kissed by dad, hugged by mom, she slyly smiles, curling into strong shoulders. I push away,…
My cough appears each hour with the annoying regularity of a political ad. Its persistence is wearing me down. The election is over, the advertisements are gone. No more enduring the monotony of a grating sound I do not want to hear. (did I tell you I have a cough?) I did my part–voted the…
Classroom photo, mine. 2012 “Recess teacher!!” That would be me and anyone else over 3 feet tall who has a whistle. “Hey guys, just so you know, my name’s Mrs. Collins”, flashing my cartoon-y fish logo with my fancy-ish name. “What’re your names?” “I’m Atticus, this is Zeppelin.” “Well, those are some pretty big names,” I…
Beginning Years and miles evaporate like the morning’s ocean fog where the strong, bright gleam of friendship holds true. Holds true like trees that have weathered decades of sun as we weathered our own wearying waves of life, lapping at the edge of our friendship, threatening to erode the years of tears and laughter, the breaking…
If you give a writer a journal She’ll probably say “thank you” (exclamation point) And wonder where the nearest pen or pencil is. If she finds said pen, she’ll take to writing A es a pee. Once she starts writing there’s no telling When she’ll stop—why THINGS COULD HAPPEN. People would be…
Botanically speaking, the plant names trip on the tongue with some effort (mine) but once murmured, sound like the tune to an old song I’ve known all my life, the words rolling off in chunks of meaning as I pass by a rainbow of familiar flora – oleander–-pinnate, poisonous, softened by pink and purple eucalyptus–fragrance in crushed wood, leaving the warmth…