Monthly Archives: September 2021

The Albatross

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I was walking down the street,

With nary a thought in mind.

When I spied an Albatross,

Flashing his behind.

 

He raised his head and looked at me,

Perhaps he’s asking who?

So I will do my very best,

And try to think this through.

 

He seemed to be considering,

What I do not know.

So I approached him warily,

My curiosity in tow.

 

He turned around and cocked his eye,

He’s giving me a look.

As if to say:  he’s thinking,

And I am on the hook!

 

He took a step and shook his head,

It seems he’s changed his mind,

Then he takes a running leap,

And I am left behind.

 

With gentle grace he soars above,

High among the clouds,

I am left so far below,

Just one amongst the crowds.

 

Now I think back fondly,

Of the gift that was bestowed.

Of a gentle creature,

Who for a moment slowed.

Who are you? Who am I?

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Who am I? At this exact moment I’m a writer sitting in front of my computer trying to coax words out of my brain to be formed into some semblance of intelligent thought. How am I doing so far? In a little while I’m going to be ensconced on my balcony with my ear buds in, totally immersed in an audiobook. In the same manner in which I used to lose myself in the pages of a paperback I now am able to lose myself in the voice of an actor performing an intriguing story. Then I will be a reader.

When I was working, I had a persona that I would put on every morning. Professional, calm and focused. I had a job to do. And for the most part I did it very well. I don’t want to brag and say I was perfect because, well, you know, that is so not me. Perfection is something to aspire to, not brag about.

I consider myself an accomplished and confident woman. I wasn’t always. And I still have those moments when I’m not. As a child I was terrified of everything. I had no self-confidence, I thought I was ugly and stupid. Maybe all children go through that phase. And how sad it is. But I was none of those things, I just didn’t know it. I didn’t know who I was or who I could be but over the many years I learned. I read about people I admired, I read about situations that I might one day be in and how to handle them. I would go to parties with pertinent topics to speak about intelligently because I had done the research, just in case somebody asked. I made me who I am today.

But I didn’t do it alone. Family and friends helped to mould me, to support me. Teachers and schoolmates, strangers on the street helped make me who I am today. Every interaction I’ve ever had with someone has left a mark as I have left a mark on them. Hopefully a positive one. But everything we do has consequences. If you smile at a stranger then perhaps they will smile at another stranger and the domino effect is born. Heady stuff I know but we are all interconnected. And that makes us all brothers and sisters.

Some days I am brilliant but some days I’m also that small child that was terrified of the air.  And at my core?  I still believe in who I am, right now.

 

The Most Wonderful Year Of My Life

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Never before did I have the time,

To notice the beauty in front of me.

There’s a tang in the air that I never smelled before,

I think there is much I have missed.

 

I notice the air and the sunsets that fall,

I notice the rain on the window.

I see a smile on the face of a stranger,

I noticed the scowls as well.

 

The skin of my lover is fresher than dew,

It feels like satin or silk.

I hear sweet songs in the voice of the birds,

And the heady aroma of life.

 

But I spent my time in dogged pursuit,

Of that life that I seem to have missed.

So now is the time to do all that I can,

To live in the here and now.

 

The world is in focus with a brightness this day,

Why did I not see it before?

Now I will live each day as my last,

Knowing that soon it will be.