Happy Monday 🤝
Friday marked one year since I logged onto Substack and created an account! (It took another six or seven weeks to actually post.) As always, thank you for being here.
For those who subscribed in the last two weeks, welcome. I post every Monday at 8AM with the following schedule:
1st week - essay
2nd week - poem
3rd week - essay
4th week - the links
This week’s poem was inspired by the neighborhood where I run. Ironically, it slipped from my mind that my time in Florida is ending all too soon.
All Things Sweet
Reaching palm leaf, foe of death
Ne’er to take a final breath
Toxic air you trade for free
Long as we stay ‘bove the sea
Creaking palm branch under stress
Find support and coalesce
If you from your service fall
Yet your brother fills the call
Juicy palm drupes bunched around
Answer prayer and touch the ground
Steal away with zero trace
Save for stains upon my face
Fungal palm stem, plagued alive
Answer me the reason why
All things sweet must come to end
Wish I’d paid attention when
Lovely!
I'm surprised at how light the mood of this poem feels, even with so much dark and foreboding language used throughout. It creates the perfect contrast for the ending.