And like an early
Dawn low horizon sun
That moves across a
Cat tailed lightly frozen
Pond your morning smile
Warms me and dissolves ice
That has crept across my
Mind from night’s dream
Awakening teeming life that
My heart swims for
You making me jump
And dive into your
Arms with a kiss
My nighttime dreams brought
Happiness an odd array
Of characters had gathered
To surprise me on
My birthday hosted by
My ex husband and
Attended by long lost
At one time friends
Now serving his command
The war he declared
Against me years ago
But my dream was
A bit of homecoming
As though I’d entered
The gates of Heaven
It was like it
Was many years ago
Laying here in darkness
Listening to you breathe
Reminded of yesterday and
So many other yesterday’s
That now here turn
Backwards like the pages
Of a forgotten book
Abandoned as we picnicked
On those autumn afternoons
The beauty we are
Is not what has
Already been written but
What is yet to
Write and then to
Read in the dark
While you are sleeping
The morning sun slips
Through my blinds like
Slivered almonds landing on
My chin and chest
As my coffee cools
Beside me like a
Patient dog seeking affection
Bed linens tossed aside
Like an after thought
Like wrapping paper destruction
On late Christmas mornings
And sitting here alone
With these three things
I am at peace
Before the wars begin
As I have gotten older
I’ve become more aware
Of the little things
Having been bombarded by
The grand things of
Life I have sought
Refuge in the quiet
Things raindrops on eaves
The scratching of fall
Leaves and ant hills
That seem to erupt
Overnight through sidewalk cracks
The slower things like
Inch by delicate inch
Of freshly fallen snow
That crawls against windows
And plump caterpillars that
Wind and weave munching
Polka dots in green
On their way to
Emerging butterfly and oh
Yes love as called
Accepting it rather than
Seeking it there’s comfort
In the little slow
Things that simply show
Up for no other
Reason than being themselves
And I taking notice
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 