In the early morning, a cold wind blows.
Weak sunlight from a hazy sky offers little warmth.
Despite the chill, I’m glad to be out walking.
I smell fresh new-mown grass, hear bird songs.
In the park, a workman mows the lawn.
No one else is in sight.
I walk by the creek, hear its gentle babble,
neigh of horses from a nearby veterinary clinic,
smell the manure.
My white cane rolls from side to side in front of me.
In the late afternoon, I traverse the same path,
relieved to be out in the fresh air.
Despite the odor of manure,
my stomach tells me I’m hungry.
I quicken my pace, eager to reach home.
***
This poem was published in the April 19th issue of The Weekly Avocet and also appears in How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver. Click below to hear me read it.
***
Author Abbie Johnson Taylor
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver
That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Click to hear an audio trailer.
