Anyone familiar with Laurie would recognize her deep passion for poems and her talent for crafting them. Her extensive collection of books stands as a testament to her mastery of the art. Every time I sent her a long email or letter, she’d encourage me to scrutinize my own words, urging me to seek out hidden poetry within the content. “Look for it,” she’d say, “and bring it to life.” I made it a habit to heed her advice.

On April 19, 2019, I penned an email detailing the events of the day, and with Laurie’s guidance, I transformed it into a poem. Laurie, I’m grateful for your guidance in refining my expression with few words.

 

A Matriarch’s Day

Up early.
The sun breaks through and the light
gives across the open pastures,
making the fields of peppers next door
a sight to behold. Something as simple
as light can shift ordinary into beautiful.

Everyone is still sleeping.

Cool from the rain, the cold front,
that blew through, I head to the garden.
A kestrel sitting on a pole outside
the back door catches my attention,
the first surprise of this fresh day,
followed by umbels and sprays
of wildflowers, a few leaves of young
kale, a pulled onion or two to saute.

A Lavender Orpington hen,
new to the flock, traumatized,
escapes to hide up high in a box
on the seat of the big mud buggy.
Changing safety strategies,
I place her in a cage with two
Young Buff Orpingtons about
her same age, just as a wide-
winged kite soars overlooking
for an easy Easter meal, followed
by a red-tail that shrieks and dives,
which reminds me that I, too, am
being called upon on this heavenly
day. A kitchen full of kids waits, but
I put aside the thoughts of baking
a ham, cooking corn, peas, mashed
potatoes, biscuits, and deviled eggs.

I wait, relishing the calm that still
surrounds me for a little longer.

~DK