Click over for Coffee and Donuts with Jama and more Poetry Friday.
Laura Shovan’s 5th annual February Poetry Project continues with one of us selecting an article each month and pulling out ten words. This month Kathy Mazurowski selected this article and these words: nostalgia, reflect, interferes, cope, memories, personal, uncertainty, crystallized, bittersweet, science.
One morning I sat at my computer determined to get some words in for the day. I looked at the words Kathy selected, at my reflection in the kitchen window, and this poem appeared. Every once in a while the muse visits me. I just need to sit here every day.
Glass reflects
the shape of things–
shadows of me
sitting here:a cup of coffee
a vase of daisies
a cat
a stack of bookscrystallized in a photograph
nostalgic for
the bittersweet taste
of uncertainty.News interferes.
Memories flee.
How do we know what
tomorrow will bring?Somehow we cope–
put on the cloak
of science and move on.
It’s not personal.I reach over
to pet the cat.
Her fur is soft,
and she purrs.–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved
Reflections on the Teche 
I’m so glad you sat down and were available when the muse came to call. I really like how you structured your poem, beginning with concrete items (coffee, vase of daisies, etc), then following your thoughts and then reconnecting to the concrete in your final lines. I’m also thankful you’ve reminded me about the ongoing Poetry Project. I haven’t participated in ages! This is a great list of words and hopefully the muse will come visit me next!
I like the straight forward introspection of your poem Margaret, it reminds me of the matter-of-fact commentary of Mary Oliver. I always feel like I’m right their in the room with her when reading her poems. Thanks for your poem and having me stop and read Kathy’s article!
I love how your poem begins and ends with mindfulness. In between, the constant tide of thought. Beautiful reflection, Margaret.
Thanks for this quiet moment of introspection. Love following the tide of your thoughts.
I’m glad the words came, Margaret. You’ve put beauty into your poem, the things that are important, “Her fur is soft/and she purrs.”
What a peaceful reflection for the morning–or evening as I sit here tonight. It’s beautiful.
So lovely! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Margaret, You crafted a lovely visual image and then let us into your heart. I could so identify with the setting…each morning finds me sitting at my kitchen table, looking out the window and waiting for the muse to appear.
A beautiful moment, captured.
Lovely – thanks for conveying and sharing!! And that is a gorgeous photo.
What a lovely response to a hard challenge. I love the magic in the every day.
If only every worry could be smoothed away with a cat’s soft purr.