A Poem Before I Go
On reclaiming what we thought was lost
Dear Friends,
When last year I canceled my annual pilgrimage to High Island, I was devastated. I recounted my pain and disappointment in The View from Home, ultimately finding solace in the magic of my own backyard. Looking back at that moment, I realize the pain was not about missing that one trip. It was about feeling like I might never go again. My body had simply met a wall, and there was no getting over it.
But through certain choices and practices (not to mention some kick-ass care attendants), I have found myself on the other side of that wall, steeling my mind and body for another sojourn on the Gulf Coast. I gaze into a new horizon, without trepidation, my hands on the tools that brought me here: pain meds and kinesiology tape, TENS units and heat pads, a wheelchair that lets me drive and adjust my position with ease, a resolution to heed my body's alarm calls, which mean it's time to rest.
I am beyond excited! To rush like wind through the coastal prairie, to behold the sea as it washes in, to greet those dogged trans-Gulf migrants as they drop in to refuel.
Reclaiming Spontaneity
Here's a poem about a spontaneous date I shared with Nicole. My pain slipped to the background, and the universe delivered a rare accessible Uber. So, we stole away like teenagers, as if we had ditched school. We feasted. We drank. We dipped into the movies. We held hands and smiled, proud we could still muster the energy and enthusiasm for a spur-of-the-moment adventure!
It's a sonnet in (mostly) iambic tetrameter. That's not terribly important, but since I rarely write formal poetry, it felt relevant to share!
Joy Meeting
Beneath the junior elms I tilt
Adoring every dove that sails
Into the waning sun. What joy
This day decided at our will:
The thrill of walking after lunch
As cars and people laugh and leap;
A michelada buzz enshrouds
This “cancer weed.” And when she folds
My hand in hers, the warmth of touch
Does masterfully heal my pain.
How loved and lost each day can feel
When sleep is all we have. So, seize
Those days when life comes back to you:
Is it ever too late to be?
Action Items
As always, join in any capacities you can!
Protect the Golden-cheeked Warbler: Texas HB 3798 would allow for the unrestricted removal of native Ashe juniper trees that Golden-cheeked Warblers rely on for nesting. Write or call your state representatives before April 24th and urge them to oppose HB 3798.
Switch off the Lights for Migrating Birds: It is now peak migration, so be sure to turn off all non-essential lights between 11 PM and 6 AM each night from now through June 30th. Spread the word by emailing your neighborhood listserv or posting on Nextdoor. Or get a beautiful yard sign from Travis Audubon! Learn more about Lights Out.
Contact Your Representatives: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act are a few of the many nature conservation laws that are being deregulated. Please urge your representatives to protect our treasured wildlife! The 5 Calls app makes contacting representatives quick and easy.
Support Living Wages for Community Care Attendants: Texas is facing a severe caregiving crisis, and low wages are largely to blame. Our current base wage for community care attendants is an abysmal $10.60 per hour. If you live in Texas, please urge your state representatives to support the House's wage increase to $14.28. Contact your Texas representatives!
Buy Poetry: Writing poems may not pay the bills, but poems can say things that neither ordinary speech nor prose can articulate. They have a way of reaching people, of changing people, of moving people to act. So, let's honor National Poetry Month and contribute to the poetry community however we can. Buy a book of poems! Subscribe to a Substack poet! Attend an open mic or poetry slam!
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day: Join Travis Audubon on May 10th for a lively celebration at Austin's premier birding destination, Hornsby Bend. Take a guided bird walk, kick back at the Birdability big sit, and enjoy a raptor show by SkyKings Falconry! Register here. Don't live in Austin? There are Audubon chapters and Birdability volunteers across the country leading walks that you can join. Or, you can form your own group: invite your friends and head to a local park!
Enjoy the birds,
Eric
Can’t wait to hear about your trip to the coast! Are you joining in the festivities at Featherfest?
I like the rhythm of this poem. Reading out loud was fun. Thanks for writing. :)