Poetry Friday - Taking The Leap

  It's Poetry Friday, and Mary Lee Hahn is hosting HERE on her blog, sharing her own shout-out on Independence Day. How can I NOT return after months away, except for the Progressive Poem, after reading Mary Lee's call for us to care for our country! 

             

        I know I've missed some of your news, both happy and sad, and I am sorry for that. I spent three-plus months in a lot of pain, managing only regular things needed, holding up for some crazy times when my body was not reacting in usual ways, my plumbing problems meant watching my entire backyard dug up, and my car hit and needing repairs. I kind of lived on Advil! 

       It was a time, until finally, finally, I saw a rheumatologist who diagnosed me with what is called PMR - a disease in 'mostly' older people that attacks the muscles. Whew! I haven't taken any medicine except vitamins, etc., for a long while. Now, Prednisone has been my saving grace. The pain is gone; I'm back to doing what I want to do, knowing that the hurt in the world still has been, is being, so much harder than I had. Still, I am grateful for the modern medicine world that has so helped me. 

      It feels like serendipity that you, Mary Lee, are our host today, because I am thankful for one more thing that buoyed my life during the hard days, a postcard sent last year, sitting to greet me every day as I walked into my workroom.

       

      Now, for all of you, too, take Mary Lee's words, and know that not only can we "do hard things", but we must, for our country, our families, for everyone who is in need!

You watch the news

can never look away, and must

do whatever is possible: write, call, donate, then shout

hard words at those who want our silence

things will change by our protests, our action

                  Linda Baie