*Abbie Johnson Taylor’s voice is evident in her music, in her poetry, in her essays and her stories. It is the voice of a woman seeking to balance tenderness and strength, a woman striving to leave her creative mark in a world crowded with voices. I only wonder where I will find her next.*

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SUNDAY AFTERNOON

I see blue sky above my silent back yard.

In the distance, dogs bark.

A saw whines, followed by other construction noises.

A plane flies overhead.

Far away, a train whistles.

Caressed by a cool, autumnal breeze, I reflect on my life, at peace.

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The above poem was published in the November 1st edition of The Weekly Avocet. I wrote it in my back yard one Sunday afternoon.

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Abbie lives in Sheridan, Wyoming, where for six years, she cared for her late husband Bill, totally blind, who was partially paralyzed by two strokes soon after they were married. Before that, she was a registered music therapist and worked for fifteen years in a nursing home and other facilities that served senior citizens. Abbie has a visual impairment, and during this time, she facilitated a support group for others likeherself. She also taught braille and served on the advisory board of a trust fund that allows persons with blindness or low vision to purchase adaptive equipment and services.

Abbie is the author of two novels, two poetry collections, and a memoir with another novel on the way. Her poems, short stories, and essays have been published in various journals and anthologies. She belongs to several writers’ organizations and a women’s singing group and takes water exercise classes at the YMCA. Please visit Abbie’s website at: http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com and her blog at: https://abbiescorner.wordpress.com to learn more about her and her work.