Q Train, Beverly Road Station, January 29th, 2014
My friends have sent many poems since I began this project. This one is a birthday present from best friend, novelist Sheri H. On a summer evening in 2013 I spread out six projects before her and asked, “Which ones should I concentrate on?” I had wanted her to pick three. She picked one: Poems by New Yorkers. I am lucky to have her friendship and advice on all things personal and written. I’ve read two of her four books: The Dress Lodger, a bestseller, and Witches on the Road Tonight. They are very different, very wonderful novels. You can find them here. And yes, it is Maddy.
How many will she get this year?
This year of verse and movement?
How many poems will come her way? Pulled
from pockets, satchels, bags,
flung confetti in her hair
love and light
the swift delight of words half-formed
not known
until
she placed them on our lips?
Subway siren
riding rails,
collecting tales from child and man
the scofflaw’s jam, the dancer’s lift
the shift from thought to feeling.
Who writes for her
the daily kiss, the coffee cup, the spelling bee
the poetry of family
and wishers-well, the strangers not so strange?
A poem for Maddie, in this stage
of motion, wonder, truth.
A year from now, we’ll all look back
to see her standing at our stop
The laugh, the glance, the warm embrace
her face that says its all we’ve got
This ride we write,
She wills us come alive
This matter
Mattering.
Happy birthday, my dear, dear Maddie!
Love, S
Q Train, Beverley Road.
I’ve never been good at poetry, I am glad you are !!!!!!