by Mary E. Lowd
A birthday gift for Janet on 11/15/2023
Can a few words burn brightly enough
To light all the seasons
Of a life?
Which words?
How do we find them?
This is why we read
We’re always searching, searching
Through books and pages
Streams of words
And sudden downpours
For the few words
That glow
For the words that cast light
On the things we see
Some words are lanterns
Carried with us
Clung to tightly
Some words are sudden sunbreaks
Momentary enlightenment
That soon fades away
But leaves a memory of what
Was seen
Some words rise like the sun
And illuminate your world
For a season
For a day
A year
A life?
Some words are a guiding star
Some words last a whole life long
Or longer
Some words fade away
But some words…
Some words last
* * *
From the book: Some Words Burn Brightly: An Illuminated Collection of Poetry
Previous poem: Between the Waves