August 2022 Poetry

Still Life 
Sweet perfume wafts in the wake 
of a breeze dancing among lilacs. 
A golden tanager among plum blossoms 
is sunlight dappled on velvet. 
The boulder watches with aplomb, 
having seen eons crawl by. Once volcanic, 
now petrified and cold, it sits immobile 
marveling at the dancer’s dexterity, 
wondering whether it arrived from conjuring 
or the medicine wheel of karma, and what that 
might reflect on the fortitude of stone. 

Elizabeth Fackler-Sinkóvitz, La Veta 
San Isabel Electric Association consumer-member
Home looks good 
Home looks good 
When you’ve been on a journey 
Of any kind, of any distance 
Of any length, to any place. 

And so it was 
I came Home 
And opened my book of life 
To where I’d left it 
All those years ago 
Tagged with a bookmark that read: 
“This is the scary part.” 

Home — glancing back through the pages 
To remind me where I’d been 
A smile in knowing where I am now 
A wonder about the pages to come. 

Here in this moment 
Settled, content, Home 
Older, wiser 
Some hard lessons in my heart 
Forgiven by Blessed Love 
Still who I’ve always been 
And that’s good enough for me. 

Debie Schmitt, Cortez 
Empire Electric consumer-member 

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