Voices
A poem by Madlynn Haber

Voices

It’s the 50th anniversary of songs I listened to while growing up.
The singers’ voices are so familiar, like family. Their melodies
and lyrics play on new devices. A song will sing itself in the mind
prompted by a fragrance, a quality of light, a photo,
a glance at a collection of stones, the touch of a breeze.

Voices check in regularly. My daughter’s daily delights and complaints,
bright, full of gaiety one day, weary and strained the next.
My people, who keep in touch, beginning phone calls with it’s me,
knowing they’ll be recognized, with no need for introduction or identification.

Articulate, soothing voices of teachers, philosophers, poets from
my acquired wisdom network with words put together carefully,
concepts, ideas from ancient traditions whose truth resonates
with something I learned or always knew. Words about the ways
of the universe, of humanness. Their voices bring tranquility,
calm to the imperfect sphere of humans with their agitation,
restlessness, disruption, and despair.

And of course, there are the ghostly voices from long ago
who left their messages in memory, their joys, critiques ,
their laughter and jokes available on inner replay.

Amazing that I can find my own voice in the cacophony
I carry with me. Like a vast display of trees in forest
each of us has our own of array of voices, loud, whispering, melodic,
harsh, or sweet, playing somewhere in the back of the brain,
ready to be brought forward just when they’re needed.

About the Author:

Madlynn Haber lives with her dog, Ozzie, in a cohousing community in Northampton, Massachusetts. After retiring from a long career as a clinical social worker, her focus now is on her writing. She has had many poems and essays published in literary journals and anthologies including Adult Children (Wishing Up Press, 2021),  New Verse News, Muddy River Poetry Review, Poetica Magazine, Buddhist Poetry Review, Eunoia Review, Months To Years and other journals. She is currently working on putting together her first collection of poetry. You can view her work at www.madlynnwrites.com.

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