Chill breeze slaps
twigs at the window.
My eyelids want to
blot out the
light from
winter's traitor sun.
My blanket wrapped
tightly around my legs,
I pick up my pen.
However, my
eyelids now slip
fully down.
I need to write,
my mind insists.
Pen drops onto blanket.
I need to writ
Paper slips from hand to floor.
I need
to
wri………….
Listening in the Night
Wind waits
until sun has hidden
behind the moon and stars
to begin wailing
through our eaves.
My husband sleeps
through it all,
even when wind
blows hard
against our door
slammed tight that night
to shut wind out.
I hear but do not
move. The sound
provokes me to pull
my quilt tightly around
my shivering self.
My husband does not hear
wind jingle-jangling
our front door's Christmas wreath.
Peering out from under
the quilt of Grandma’s coats
through the top of the
window I listen; watch the sky,
for stars or newly winged angels
as each bell jingles.
I wait until the wind passes
and the quilt’s embrace,
lull me to sleep again.
Joan Leotta plays with words on page and stage. Internationally published as essayist, poet, short story writer, and novelist, she’s a two-time nominee (fiction and poetry) for Pushcart and Best of the Net, has been a nominee for Western Peace Prize, and was a 2022 runner-up in Robert Frost Competition. Joan performs folk and personal tales of food, family, strong women on stages across the country and in UK and Europe, teaches classes on writing and presenting stories (as poems, fiction, and non-fiction), and offers a one woman meet-the-author show bringing Louisa May Alcott to today’s audiences.
Although her four novels, four children’s books and collection of short stories are now out of print, her two poetry chapbooks are still available: Languid Lusciousness of Lemons from Finishing Line Press and Amazon and Feathers on Stone from Main Street Rag or by contacting Joan. Joan is currently a Regional Representative for NCWN and operates a writing meeting zoom site for general writers and another for poets .You can find her on Facebook, Joan Leotta, or contact her at joanleotta@gmail.com regarding her writing, to arrange a story performance, or to “meet” with Louisa May Alcott.
Joan Leotta
“Encouraging words through Pen and Performance”
No comments:
Post a Comment