Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by poet Marcie Flinchum Atkins Here. Thank you Marcie for hosting.
I’ve been away for a couple of weeks. I traveled to California to see my son’s wedding. While there, I met and got to know Philip’s delightful new in-laws, who are from China. Phil arranged some pre-wedding activities that included some lovely Chinese food, a trip to a State Park, and a ferry to Alcatraz Prison! It was fun and I do love history and cool souvenirs.
Because of Meng and her parents, our small family is much bigger and my world is full of new things to learn, like Chinese for instance, (at least within my limited capability). Meng was an amazing translator. I also discovered the WeChat translation app and spoke to Meng’s Mom directly.
The wedding took place at the San Francisco City Hall. I figure that since I mentioned the wedding during my last post along with a haiku, I have to follow it up with a photo. Below is Phil and Meng.
Meng and Philip
Other brides and grooms waited their turn, all so different. It was a joyful, bustling place.
The next photo is my husband and I, me wearing an emerald green scarf that is a gift from Meng’s generous parents that displays a Chinese painting from the 1100’s. No, the scarf is not that old.
Besides the good news of the wedding, one of my poems was published this week.
Lost Trail, can be found this week in the Tiny Seed Literary Journal, and I’ve written it here:
Lost Trail One day, walking with my mother, she stopped. It was early spring. She cupped in her hand a stem of tiny white flowers, so bright they glowed among matted leaves at the base of a pine. because of the way she recognized the pale buds as friends, I now understand she had been here before and I imagine that someone once took her walking and with soft knowing eyes, bent over the same wondrous flowers and said, "See? Trailing Arbutus! Native to here." I wish I'd asked, "Who?" ©Janice Scully 2023
It’s been a summer full of love, and hopefully I will have time to write more poems and work on revision in the coming months. I look forward to checking out the posts from the Poetry Friday community this week.
What is Poetry Friday? Look Here.
I wish everyone a leisurely summer with time off, and some shady cool places in which to hang out. (It’s 95 degrees here in Syracuse today! I know it’s not the only sweltering place. )