June 15
Five days
I can count the days on one hand now.
Five and then I fly.
First into the sky, the land of New Jersey, Morristown, The Seeing Eye.
Then back into the world of independent travel, trusting and caring for a canine teammate.
And once home I’ll still be flying, with my head in the clouds, my feet on surer ground.
So excited and grateful.
Here I am. Finally.
And while the road to this point has been difficult and long, the path ahead won’t be easy either.
You see, on Wednesday the call came.
“Are you willing to come June 20 to the Seeing Eye for training?”
“Yes!” my breath escaping.
“And are you willing to be paired with a female Golden?”
“Oh yes!!” my heart pounding.
And here we are. Getting ready.
I have told just about every person on earth that matters to me.
And I still must proclaim it to the heavens.
Gratitude and excitement and relief that I will soon have another teammate.
An incredible, canine teammate.
A sweet little girl dog to walk with.
To travel through the neighborhood.
To travel into and around the synagogue.
So very, very grateful.
So in love with Love.
Where the mind goes when you’re making lunch and the salad crunch with the cruton and the neutron and the plasma and my asthma and miasma and I ask Ma where the mind goes As I fetch the mail holy grail Like it best in Braille Cause it aint so frail like to feel I’m real and can deal the real deal where the mind goes
Dear Edna St. Vincent Millay
I fear that my harsh judgment may
Have clouded my eyes to your witty and wise
Lyrically lovely word-play
But what is a young girl to do
When she wants to grow up to be you
Lots of poetry selling
Men adoring Fans yelling
Give us more–But I’m just me–Boo hoo
The birds sing to me
From a yard across the way
Since ours has no tree
and the children there play
share their laughter and glee
Because ours moved away
yes joy comes by degree
wherever it may
for whoever will see
*from One With Willows, copyright 2019 by Joan Myles*
When the rains come at last,
there is no mistaking what will happen.
One person uncovers the cistern
he dug years ago against thirst.
Another brings out buckets
to place beneath the leaky roof.
Oh, let me be the one
who opens windows and unlocks the door,
who presses her face against the screen,
inhaling the mist like life itself.
Let me gather the children
to trace raindrop outlines
upon the window glass,
to clap and dance with joy
for gardens yet to be
and for promises kept.
don’t blame your mama
don’t blame your dad
for every trauma you never had
don’t blame the weather for your shoes
birds of a feather
Their feathers choose
*Please join me in chanting, living, breathing these words every day…it takes all of us to change the world*
Come On Justice
By Joan Myles
somethin’s stirring in the wind and weather
somethin’s roaring in the stormy tide
somethin’s rising up for good and better
come on Justice come
somethin’s beating in the hearts of young folks
somethin’s rushing down the halls of time
somethin’s urging us before all hope’s broke
come on Justice come
smash the idols that compel us
fear and prejudice and greed
clear the pathways that repel us
come on Justice come
somethin’s truer than the tears that blind us
somethin’s shining on the hill ahead
somethin’s marching in the streets behind us
come on
come on Justice
come on Justice come
Primitives
after spending
three days shivering
inside a tent counting
the distance between sword-flash and
echoing hoof-beats
after wondering whether a roof
can ever again be water-proof
suddenly robins.
winged emissaries
promises of reconciliation
and the sun appeared
glorious
as a god
Voices gather around my door
hear a whisper
there a roar
pausing from a quick reply
I ask myself why
words I offer seem unclear
or insufficient
and I fear
I’ll clutter Wisdoms silent flow
with all I do not know
so again I turn inside
to seek the peace which can’t abide
long amid such human noise
my spirit gratified
Jewniquely Myself 