Surprise!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for a new post with baby photos.

Today I want to brag about what I discovered in my mailbox. I opened the large white envelope and saw that it was a copy of CANTOS, A Literary and Arts Journal from Missouri Baptist University. I thought to myself, What a lovely gesture. I opened it to read the first page and there were FIVE of my poems, not at all religious in nature. I couldn't believe it. I'd submitted them almost a year ago and never heard back. What a nice surprise!

This just goes to prove, you have to "write and release" and be patient. If it returns in a tri-folded envelope, you can probably kiss it good-bye, but not always. I once received an acceptance in my SASE.

Why don't you write and submit this week? You never know what you'll discover in your mailbox.

I looked out at our shed and saw two doves on the roof. The image reminded me of my parents, two old love birds, my dad wearing suspenders always out of breath trailing behind my mom, and so, I wrote this poem.

Love Birds, published in Cantos 4/12

Old soul mates, they strolled up the slight incline
one a short distance ahead of the other.
She paused, cocked her head back in his direction,
waited as usual for him to shuffle slowly to her side.
Together they strode to the apex,
his chest puffed out, taking in oxygen,
and the view from on high
made heaven seem closer.

He cooed and gave her a peck.
If he’d been wearing suspenders
he’d have inserted his wings into his straps,
popped them proudly and preened for his turtle dove up on the roof.