Coming Late to Grace

Unseen and unrecognized,
Grace always come through
and I see it
only afterwards
with the certainty
of the one who's read
the ending
of the book

At forty-nine, I'm one again
hands clenched tightly
on my lap
pretending no one notices
I look 'round
to see
what is expected
trying
to learn
the language
trying--
guessing
at
normal
This time
only FEELING
bald

Like an awkward adolescent, 

the queen anne's lace 

grows unnaturally tall,

lean and lanky, 

in the summer heat 

and does not realize

how beautiful she really is.

The Better Angels

By this time,
I know the better angels
of my nature*
disagree.


*With thanks to Abraham Lincoln for the metaphor. (image and quote from Lincoln's first inaugural address.)
One Single Impression Prompt:  Angels 

From the place inside my head

I was reminded today
that we are each stuck
inside our own minds
trying desperately
to get out
and connect with other people.*
That is the POINT
of life--to get OUT of our
minds and CONNECT.

This means that we will have
our delicate toes
stepped on
by those who don't realize they are there.

Our hopes will be shattered like
delicate china cups
and the tea they contain
will spill all over
the linoleum floor.

We will cry our own tears
and laugh our own laughter
at how alike we are
and how different
from
those we love.

*Hat tip to John Green for the image.

Preponderance

Eventually, 

there is no longer a preponderance 

of money

or time

but of memories

and of love

This week's One Single Impression Prompt:  Preponderance 

Illusion

The undulating heat waves 

rise up from the miles of 

ever-increasing black top,
creating a wavy wall of illusion,
telling us that we are
detached from our world,
safe in our air conditioned buildings
living our virtual lives
until the heat is gone.