April 18, 2020

Something Each Day

—

Olivia Rose here’s a message for you

your great-grandma Annie does love you

and aches to see you in person quite soon

but Covid-19 says “not yet, my dear”

—

well I’ve seen you on Zoom and sang you a song

I’m storing up kisses and hugs for you

and on May the third you’ll be two months old

with a grand birthday outfit I betcha

—

so here’s the message Olivia Rose

starting in May you will get in the mail

a postcard from Annie that’s just for you

and you’ll get one every day

—

each postcard will be something different

maybe Grand Canyon because I do love it

a another great scene or an animal or two

with stamps that are sort of fish-y

—

so walk to the mailbox with Mom or with Dad

and see what you’ve got to hold on to

and make you a stack ‘till you’ve got thirty-one

remember: I love you – I love you

—————

—

April 19, 2020

Ouch

—

I’ve got the ouch blues

yes the ouch blues

what is loneliness to one

is a respite to some other

—

it’s the ouch blues

just the ouch blues

who bumped into the fixture

and started to howl

—

now it’s the ouch blues

still the ouch blues

embrace, kiss it well

and resolve to start again

—

oh the ouch blues

sing the ouch blues

today

and tomorrow

—————

—

April 20, 2020

Isolation

—

just stay within the isolation

and work with all the possibilities you find there

—

time for much more creativity

time for socializing with new people in new ways

—

opportunities to see some things

as you walk in fresh air that you never saw before

—

listen now for enriched mystery

suddenly it will dawn on you that you really are not isolated

—————

April 12, 2020

Spirit

—

spirit of joy – bounce through me this day

spirit of hope – hang on

spirit of bells – ring loud and clear and

spirit of love – love long

—

spirit of dance – keep me on the move

spirit of faith – believe

spirit of heart – be kind and real and

spirit of friends – keep touch

—

spirit of peace – step out through the world

spirit of drums – beat strong

spirit of breath – breathe deep and slow and

spirit of song – just sing – on – through – my – life

—————

—

April 13, 2020

One Purpose

—

my purpose seemed

different for

each job I had

—

when a mother I

strove to teach

kindness and love

—

as music therapist

in nursing home I

reached out with song

—

as choir director

or preacher I tried to

model God’s word

—

but was there

one purpose that

encompassed all

—

love God with

all of my

heart, mind, strength

—

love neighbor

whether nearby

or far

—

love self

I can strive for

all three

—————

—

April 14, 2020

The Walk

—

step outside – warmer but still not warm

slight breeze chased some of the warm farther away

the two pear trees stand side by side

the pink one not as far along in blooming as the white one

I tell the pink “you will be special—just wait and see”

—

the new raised garden beds are just dirt in one, empty in two

but looking sturdy and ready for more activity

two bushes are intertwined as I walk by – not healthy for either

as they both struggle – one with small red flowers

baby violets – some white, some purple – scatter through the grass

—

I sit for a while on walker seat to feel the sun

which is still not committed to heat anything

the neighbor’s flag is at half mast

maybe a village loss since the village flag is half mast too

—

jonquils near the house are overcrowded and trying to be brave about it

dandelions – still small in number – look determined

the section where grass seed was sown has no sprouting yet

seventeen birdhouses on two sides of the half barn are unoccupied for now

—

I enter the house again slightly discouraged at work to be done

but revive as I go into the area I’m quarantined from

to see the garden seedlings just starting to peep through black dirt

I read what grows – a wonder list of veggies

I exit the forbidden territory

confident that hope is growing here

—————

April 9, 2020

Song of Movement

—

they stand my dancers three

with arms flung wide in ecstasy

on dresser top to show me how

to move each day

—

in bronze delight

they do not change position – yet

it seems to me from time to time

they move to encourage me

—

to raise my arms

to make an arc

to slowly turn

to bend to floor

and then rise up again

—

they are young and lithe

and my aged frame just tries

to straighten up to reach where they reach

for dancing highs and lows

—

I sing and move

I circle round

determined still at 86

to dance each day

—

I move and sing

each time new song

now matter how I look I

still – will – dance

—————

April 10, 2020

The One Who Died That Friday

—

the one who died that Friday

he walked on a certain path

caring for folks as he went

saying “follow me”

—

rules were not that important

when people needed his help

he welcomed all regardless

and said “do not fear”

—

he turned the tables over

and yelled “you’re doing it wrong—

love truth – be kind to others –

do justice each day”

—

the one who died that Friday

not for my sins did he die

those in power set it up

that long torturous death

—

but Friday was not the end

he still continues to live

in those who follow the Way

in each one – who loves

—————

April 11, 2020

A to Z

—

am trying to figure out

best as I can – who is in

control in this corona time

—

day turns to night back to day back to night

even as we stay six

feet apart or more – I am

—

grasping for truth in the midst of falsehoods

hope in the midst of fear

insight in the center of confusion

joy in the middle of distress and

knowledge instead of questions

love – always – and

more love – so there may be

—

no control – and yet there can be

opportunity to

practice

quiet

responses of saying a prayer

singing a chant

trusting the meditation and

—

understanding a new reality

valuing some exercise plus a dance outside – and finding

wholeness with flashes of wisdom – take an

x-ray now of this time – put

yourself in a place to still find

zest and zoom for living

—————

April 6, 2020

Trapped

—

I am not trapped inside my house

I take my sturdy walker – walk

the spacious driveway twice each day

it opens up the world for me

—

I see forsythia yellow – bright

I am not trapped inside my house

each jonquil nods as I pass by

eager to hear my greeting words

—

“you’re blooming well my pretty ones”

I turn the walker and sit down

I am not trapped inside my house

sun rays soak into lifted eyes

—

resting I count few cars go by

I walk again with mantra strong

feel strength seep into aged bones

I am not trapped inside my house

—————

April 7, 2020

Words

—

lucky – yes?

unlucky – yes?

foolish in these days to

use these words at all – what happens

happens

—————

April 8, 2020

The Future

—

the future

is not here

—

the future

is not here and now

—

the future is not here

and now it isn’t important

—

the future is not here

and now it isn’t important

because the present is here

—

the future is not here

and now  it isn’t important because

the present is here in the moment

—

the future is not here

and now it isn’t important because

the present is here in the moment

ready for us

—

the future is not here

and now it isn’t important because

the present is here in the moment

ready for us to live it

—————

April 3, 2020

Directions to My Version of Yoga “Happy Baby”

—

lay down flat on the bed

pull knees to chest and link arms underneath them

roll from side to side

smile as you do it or laugh out loud

do twenty rolls in all

at end reach hands between your legs and hold inside of each ankle

just like a happy baby ‘till you topple to one side or the other

—

postscript: Thich Nhat Hanh says

“A smile is yoga of the mouth”

—————

April 4, 2020

Wish

—

wish I may – wish I might have the wish

I wish tonight – thought of magic

thought of power – I would wish for

strength woven with peace for

self and others near

and far this day

this moment

now – just

now

—————

April 5, 2020

The Minute

—

Take a minute. In the middle of the unknown, of

the anxiety, of the loneliness, take a minute. Literally.

Time it. When the second hand of your watch reaches

twelve, let the minute start. Look away. See how long

a minute is. Breathe. Feel the unknown and the anxiety

and the loneliness drift away. It’s long isn’t it? The

breaths fill me up. I’m glad I took it——the minute.

—————

March 31, 2020

Triple Lunacy

—

round – round – up and down

carousel

feels like every day

—

day is night is day

again the

circling never stops

—

whole world spins around

can’t get off

circling round and round

— 

round – round – up and down

carousel

feels like every day

—

day is night is day

again the

circling never stops

—

whole world spins around

can’t get off

circling round and round

—

round – round – up and down

carousel

feels like every day

—

day is night is day

again the

circling never stops

—

whole world spins around

can’t get off

circling round and round

—

April 1, 2020

Poem

—

the poem faltered, froze,

hesitated about describing the

emerging world

—

now while still in the midst of trauma

empty of concepts of what the

world will be like

—

weary with being sequestered – zooming

over and searching frantic for

revelation of how we have changed our

living and how we can

discern this whole new world

—————

April 2, 2020

The Yardstick

—

there once was a yardstick who measured

the distance between us to treasure

the space was six feet

just five would be treat

but virus exerted the pressure

—————

March 28, 2020

Elegy for the Deaths

—

too many deaths at one time—hundreds and thousands

now in this pandemic—nearly overwhelms

we give tributes for one death—one death at a time

over and over and over and—pray for an ending

—————

March 29, 2020

Rap on The Day

—

there once was a poem called The Day

it was dark and sad in every way

but the very next morning when I awoke

it was topsy turvy good and that’s no joke

—

anxiety seemed to just disappear

certainty took over where there had been fear

meditation was a real happy thing

the books I read were a big up-swing

—

I never even noticed if the day was bright

but I did know for sure that my load was light

paranoia walked right out of the door

positive vibes came in for more

—

so the day was good from end to start

my smile was on and so was my heart

I walked outside and saw a yellow bloom

I went to sleep with no notion of gloom

—

take a breath — don’t you love it

take a breath — you just shove it

shove all the sadness – off of the stage

it’s a good day says the sage

—

uh huh — uh huh

it’s a good day – this day

uh huh — uh huh

it’s a very very very good day

—

© Copyright 2020 by Ann Freeman Price

—————

March 30, 2020

The Banner

—

hope hangs hesitant beside reality

with fear and death claiming center stage

faucets run as hands are over-washed

contamination peeks inside each door

—

no gatherings are happening – no visits

from friends or relatives near or far

connection comes from internet or telephone

those who are working work within the risk

—

but hope hangs on by prayer straps

and hope insists on equal time each day

as buds appear on trees – as flowers push through grass

the smell of hope so slowly starts to rise

—

delivery rooms still sound with new-born cries

hope smiles and holds its banner high

—————

On March 24, I started writing a poem a day, along with other writers who check in with Writer’s Digest. I didn’t think of posting them then. So I’m catching up and here are the first three. They are all written under the general title of Poems of a Pandemic.

March 22, 2020

Pandemic Time

time is now –

pandemic –

filled with fear

most will live

many die

from virus

history

will record

rights and wrongs

we live in

sequestered

specifics

hunkered down

using tech

to connect

call friends we

haven’t talked

to for years

if alone

we cook and

eat alone

keep journals

write poems

and wonder

counting days

until it’s

done – finished

---

Escape

I’ve left now

as I read this book

just walked out

the door and

into a world that doesn’t

have corona now

but book world

has Tara struggling

with childhood

horrors – with

deep imprinting – sometimes I’m

glad to close that book

to come back

to reality –

I can go

back and forth

and learn from Tara to grow

strong through all of it

—————

March 24, 2020

The Chant Sings

sing – and keep your self strong

sing – and keep your self strong

feel the rhythm and vibration

as they move throughout your body

just

sing – and take a breath

take a deep breath

once again – take a deep breath

and heal – your – self

heal – your – self

with sound !