In My Heart, my Verse Afire poem, Dec. 2022

My poem, "In My Heart," was published in Verse Afire, the bi-annual publication of the Ontario Poetry Society, January 2023.  The theme was "Portrait Poems."

                              In My Heart

    "I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger," 

said my old friend, Lillian.

Who'd have thought that  life in a retirement residence

would be so hectic?

First laundry to put away, then choir rehearsal,

then the minister came to call.


    "They should be put in a paper bag and shaken,"

she'd say, exasperated by someone unreasonable.


    "I never thought I'd make new friends 

at this stage of my life," she told me.

"What a happy surprise, meeting you two!"

                We printed her poetry chapbooks

and joined her for afternoon tea

whenever she asked.


She taught me a lot about life

and prepared me for growing old.

When she was on the home stretch

she said, "You won't miss me.

"You'll befriend some other old person."

I said, "No. No one can replace you

in my heart."





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