Kathleen Rooney, one of my favorite authors, shared this poem on her Facebook page this morning. It spoke to me so beautifully about our attempts at reconnecting that I asked her if I could share it with you. She wrote it at at a Poems While You Wait event earlier this fall. She and other poets set up manual typewriters in public spaces around Chicago and write on-demand poems for $5.00. The Chicago Tribune wrote about them in 2018.
Rooney is also the author of the delightful novels Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey. I reviewed Lillian when it came out and Cher Ami was on my Best novels of 2020 list. If you haven’t read her, do. Learn more on her website
May this poem spark joy in you as it has in me in the coming week when we try to practice thankfulness. For me, it’s all about paying attention and being thankful for moments of joy.
We are indeed lucky to see us. Wishing you all a week of connection and community along with French bread and radishes and perhaps mashed potatoes and gravy and even pumpkin pie.