Poetic License

The onslaught of fall and fall weather always makes me melancholy. (Plus, it's my birthday month.) Thinking back on the remarkable stories I've heard and/or overheard, whereby the unsuspecting takes place during an otherwise boring business trip, the poet in me began to pray open the Hard Core Business Woman, and with that breakthrough came a poem.

Thus, with great joy and a convergence of muse and opportunity, I was once again able to attend my monthly poetry group. I've been a member for probably twenty years. I almost never used to miss. Then, I started my business travels. Month after month, I read the invitation with a fierce longing. But last night I enjoyed the opportunity to wallow in the good company of fellow poets and an onslaught of creative words!

Weariness, turbulence, annoying conversations, loud people, deadlines . . . these things often do not inspire The Poet Within--at least with poetry anyone would want to read. But this week, you, you lucky-lucky traveler, "get to" read the fruits of my poetic and melancholy, birth-day month labors.

Enjoy. And remember, anything is possible, especially with the airlines!

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A Wing & A Prayer

By Charlene Ann Baumbich
©September 2008, Charlene Ann Baumbich


she first noticed
the tiny black wings
hovering over the head
of her seatmate
as
they sat
side by side
in the 727
sipping of sweet wine and
each other

wondering at


the swirly and magnetic
light in his eyes
still
she noticed
the wings
hovering near his
left ear
then hers

bzz
bzz
bzzzz

resisting the
urge
to swat
she stared
straight
to her right
straight into
that magnificent
eye-light
of his

without
WARNING
the tiny black wings
soared
into her ear
and
followed a channel
right into her mouth

unable to stop herself
she swallowed
the weensy rogue
until it dove
straight
into her heart
which it bit

who could have
guessed that
those tiny black wings
attached

to such a tiny taut torso
would cause
such a
life-altering change

once again
and
at long last
without warning
the love bug
had answered
yet another
prayer