Poetry Breakfast

Shelter from Fallout

Perhaps it was all in my head.
After dinner (Persian eggplant dish
I took hours preparing), no hug,
no goodbye, not even Thank you
at the door.

You just up and left. Did you have too much
to carry, or maybe a headache?
More likely, your mind was on George,
waiting outside in silence, his car motor
already running.

On my way down the hall
to the bathroom, I banged the right wall
with my fist, first by accident, then again,
with more of a wind-up.

When these conflicts arise
between longtime friends, what hope
can we have for our nation,
the planet, a universe?

Apology calls the next morning
may not happen at all,
or come in far too late.

About the Poet:
Barbara Saxton has worked as a translator, financial consultant, and educator. She is now a retired English teacher, singer, dancer, relentless outdoor enthusiast, and published poet (Dual Exposure – 2015 – and various literary journals/anthologies).

She lives in Mountain View, California, with her husband Owen and a cat named Kolo. Their two adult sons reside in San Jose and San Francisco.

Poetry Breakfast accepts submissions of poetry and poetry related creative non-fiction year-round.  See our Submission Guidelines page for details on submitting your work.

Start your morning with a nourishing poem.  Follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, and  Tumblr,  and enjoy a new poem every morning straight to your feed.

At the Cleveland Aquarium

Warm words can fill our hearts
far quicker than cool heads. I hide
from darker thoughts, cresting waves
of doubt masked as false pride
that feasts on dregs of self-esteem.

On frequent visits to Cleveland Aquarium
my dad and I watched all manner
of sea creatures sliver, bob, cavort
in their wet prisons. We journeyed through
dank underwater labyrinths, emerging
into brash daylight by pools, where slick seals’
cheerful barks and crazy antics
nearly served as antidotes for murkiness.

I asked Daddy how so-called electric eels
could light their glass-walled homes
without benefit of cords or bulbs or switches.
He said the staff put batteries in all their food,
and I believed him, as I did
about so many things.

About the Poet:

Barbara Saxton has worked as a translator, financial consultant, and educator. She is now a retired English teacher, singer, dancer, relentless outdoor enthusiast, and published poet (Dual Exposure – 2015 – and various literary journals/anthologies).

She lives in Mountain View, California, with her husband Owen and a cat named Kolo. Their two adult sons reside in San Jose and San Francisco.

Poetry Breakfast accepts submissions of poetry and poetry related creative non-fiction year-round.  See our Submission Guidelines page for details on submitting your work.

Start your morning with a nourishing poem.  Follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, and  Tumblr,  and enjoy a new poem every morning straight to your feed.