RETURN FROM GETAWAY

Escapes are tricky,
for somewhere halfway through
your mind shifts to thinking of returns.
For all the relaxing and refocusing,
our minds know we belong somewhere else.
But in the meantime, we squeeze
every last ounce of living out of those moments,
relishing the closeness, soaking in the beauty,
and being alive; a good place to be.
Back to the familiar; reappearing in the commonplace.
Going back to the homestead.
A return from getaway.


Welcome back across the lake!


Walt

WELCOME!

I'm Walt. A funny thing happened on my way to an April Poem-A-Day challenge. I found the intestinal fortitude to post a piece of my work on line for the world to see. Just an anonymous poet without delusions that I was any good at what I was attempting. Three days into the challenge, I was ready to leave my rhyme in my wake, and go back to filling my rusted filing cabinet. But, that all changed in a single afternoon. Another poet liked my work. She would be keeping an eye on my muse, she said. Her support and encouragement helped to form a bond that continues to this day. Oh, by the way, she writes a pretty awesome bit of work herself. So here's to the collaboration of two kindred spirits; partners in rhyme. Thanks for helping me believe Marie! And it all happened across the lake, eerily.

Walt

* * * *

I'm Marie Elena. A funny thing happened to me on my quest to become a children's writer. I unearthed a new passion: reading and writing poetry. It began with an internet post, declaring April as "Poetry Month," and including an invitation to write and post poems to daily prompts. Write and post a poem each and every day. The entire month. Who does that? I shook in my shoes as, on April Fool's Day (appropriately, I thought) I wrote and posted a poem for the first prompt. To say that I was intimidated by the amount and quality of poems posted that day is a gross understatement. This was not only outside my comfort zone, but way out of my league.

Several days into April, I read an endearing poem written by a proud Polish gentleman. To me, this stood tall among the outstanding. I went back to read his earlier posts, and I was hooked. From that moment, I daily searched for his name. I stuffed my heart with his laughter, wordplay, love, and loss. I let him know that he had become a must-read for me. His offerings never let me down. Several more days into the challenge, I discovered a post in which he praised my work. I couldn't wait to share his encouraging words with my husband. What a thrill it was for me to receive affirmation from not only my own husband and parents, but from a truly gifted poet. It put me on a high, from which I haven't wavered.

To flip Walt's words, his encouragement helped to form a bond that continues to this day. And, hey, while I'm stealing his words, let me also say that he is "the best friend I never met." Thanks for helping me believe, Walt.

Marie Elena                                                                                                               Photo by Walt Wojtanik