“I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” – Joan Didion
Wandering through a graveyard,
a classic east coast event
to participate in at least
once every autumn.
The sun flares through
the leaves that will
blanket the ground
the next week in
flaming orange colors.
For now, the air is crisp,
the changing seasons
will soon take effect.
The ghosts will dance
as pumpkins line along
the stone wall and children
run by laughing with candy
in large pillowcases.
Summer rain one August evening
opened up a rainbow across the road
a fading twin in the background —
ah, what a moment!
The pure delight of nature
doesn’t go unnoticed.
In a season of change,
I give grace to myself
as time continues to flow
beyond my fingertips.
I breathe in deep appreciation
for the changing colors
of the leaves, showing the beauty
of the earth as they shed from
the trees. This time is fleeting,
winter is coming, enjoy the colors
while you see them.
Days are shortening
the air is still thick
with summer heat
I try my best to remain
afloat
my mind wanders away
I patiently wait for its
inevitable return
my eventual return
to the present
what a gift it is
to see the moon
consistently changing
as do we, always evolving
always growing into
new and strange versions
of who we are becoming.
Late night, the sky comes to life.
Shooting stars subtly shoot across
the universe, blink and you'd miss it.
I find comfort in looking around and
seeing how small my problems are.
How the universe is much bigger than
anything I can possibly comprehend.
Watching the stars mirror the water below,
I let go of what I can control.
Late summer hangs in limbo,
cold air floats in on the water.
The sun reminds me what will soon
exist only in my memories. So I soak up
every walk I can get while reminding
myself to remain present, it’s a beautiful
life, the heaviness is only as much as
I choose to carry it.
Mornings when
the sun shines red
among the haze
from fires north
of the border
I sit at my desk
stare at the ocean
feeling the transition
as summer slips away
into the memories
I will only half
-remember...
I see the temperature
dropped to degrees
I haven't seen
since spring.
Somewhere along the way
I got lost in the waves
and wandered into the haze
of my own making by
overcomplicating simple matters.
Upon reflection, I am reevaluating
my own words and choosing to
believe in what I want to say
without worry of anyone else
having anything to add
to my own stance.
It's mine,
that is what's important.
Write, I still have time
to continue to spread
my wings.
These worries shall pass,
just as everything else does.
I am now the age
of my favorite number
in elementary school.
8x4
16x2
48-16
128÷4
28+4
When I got 32
as the answer
on a timed math sheet
my body would relax.
My brain didn't
have to do the math -
it just knew the answer.
look up
look out
touch grass
smell air
see waves
laugh hard
stay late
start early
breathe deep
wear socks
go barefoot
feel warmth
know yourself
accept yourself
be weird
feel emotions
free yourself
from the
cage you
find yourself
in the
daily practice
of reality
Kelly Severseike 