Mused - the BellaOnline Literary Review - Spring Equinox 2008

Spring brings new life to a thawing world. Gaze on a lamb resting in Wales, a church doorway in Germany, a pair of Ibis in the Everglades. A deep crevice of layered rock becomes a birth canal. Reflect on a placid pond and a conte swirl.<br /><br />Poetry draws you in further. A young sand goddess builds a beach castle. An older woman feels comfortable in her skin. Stories highlight misconceptions about saving money, the tug-of-war between mother and daughter, the slow awakening to romance.<br /><br />Non-fiction stories celebrate the small victories of getting older, the challenges of living in the tundra, the transition from tomboy to curvaceous woman. An Asian woman rides the metro bus through Los Angeles, an American woman breathes in cardamom in Iraq.<br /><br />We all deserve a shelter, a place of peace we can retreat to. "A Soul's Oasis" ends with this:<br /><br />Most vital is this quiet space, a refuge from<br />the hectic day; I so do love this beautiful place where all<br />my cares just drift away.