What color, Do you think, Is the color of courage? Maybe it’s just the bright yellow Of the sun Peeking through a dungeon of grey When all the world is winter. Maybe it is the delicate white Of the tiny flowers Who push through the concrete Insisting on blooming in my crazy city. Little, small…butContinueContinue reading “Small Winter Poem 9 | Bravery”
Author Archives: nellskac
Small winter poem 8 | Buntings across town
Give me your prayers, friends, And I will take them And fill my pockets with them And then I will make buntings from them, And hang them all over this beautiful, broken city. This square for courage, to do the hard things, This one for love, Dedication, Compassion, Willingness to listen, Willingness to act. I’llContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 8 | Buntings across town”
Small winter poem 7 | Snail mail
There is a raw magical wonder to Mailboxes Snail mail Postal delivery in general. For instance, one can buy a specialty sticker for the post, Adhere it to a square of paper, And that sticker means that the paper can be delivered ANYWHERE! (Just about). (There needs to be an appropriate address). What wonder. WhatContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 7 | Snail mail”
Small winter poem 6 | She of the garden-heart
She says her heart is a garden when she talks about it Large, flowing, growing, And I love it when she does. But I know, too, that her garden-heart has had a period of California-large drought Followed by reckless hooligans who ripped and kicked all the plants And some slimy salesmen who sold her weedContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 6 | She of the garden-heart”
Small winter poem 5 | Paintbrush
I keep my paintbrushes in a plastic box In a drawer In the corner Of the basement. There are maybe 40 brushes in the box Remnants from classes Workshops from my childhood Mixed together now. I don’t paint very regularly Maybe a gift here and there Mostly I take the box When a group projectContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 5 | Paintbrush”
TODAY’S CRAZY SAINT STORY
While I’m trying to write one poem every day for thirty days–YOU GUYS–break in the action here to talk about: St. Alice. I’m still researching saints for work-y things. LISTEN. St. Alice was born in Brussels, Belgium, same place as those amazing waffles and amazing chocolates. When she was SEVEN years old she apparently askedContinueContinue reading “TODAY’S CRAZY SAINT STORY”
Small Winter Poem 4 | Favorites
How good are woolen socks, though? Woolen socks Ice designs swirled onto frozen glass New workouts I test in order to stay focused, clear, strong Tea held both-hands in mugs Evenings in the warm, lit kitchen with friends all around Reminiscing about the memories made in the warmer months, all the while planning for newContinueContinue reading “Small Winter Poem 4 | Favorites”
Small winter poem 3 | Once upon a waltz
Maybe it’s just me But does anyone else Relate specific songs to specific people? Maybe it’s just because I dance But when certain songs play …on the web …at wedding receptions …over PA systems I think about the pilgrims Whose paths Have crossed mine Face/ places/ spaces of blurred memories overlapping. Today I was inContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 3 | Once upon a waltz”
Small winter poem 2 | Escape
Someone tell me the nearest place where the sun shines so I can drive there, pull a folded camping chair from my trunk and sit . . . with my face . . . to the sun . . . until my skin burns and peels and my veins know vitamin D in them onceContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 2 | Escape”
Small winter poem 1 | Morning whale
I was driving to work this morning Eating oatmeal. I do this all the time, inexplicably, Even if I have enough time to sit at the table and eat. On some unconscious level, I’d rather balance the white corningware In the passenger seat, a partner in the morning’s commute. Today I had filled the bowlContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 1 | Morning whale”
Seashell Nell 