Mused - the BellaOnline Literary Review - Winter Solstice 2008

Winter encourages us to snuggle in and reflect on life. Draw inspiration from photos of snow-covered Mount Elden, from a junco clinging to an ice-coated branch, from the glowing blue chill of a glacial waterfall. Head cross-country at Buffalo Park, then meander by a snowy Rhode Island vineyard.<br /><br />Poems wrap around us with rhythmic thoughts. A grandmother with Alzheimers slips between now and then. Snowflakes drift down while the tide ebbs and flows. A lonely woman shuffles along a plank floor. Stories expand the vision - a beloved aunt betrays a girl's trust. An ill woman faces traumatic surgery. A botanist retreats to a French monastery.<br /><br />The real world provides its own tales. A girl grows up tomboy-style in the 1920s. An elderly neighbor is forgotten by those around him. A book lover shares her obsession, a mom embraces her chaos.<br /><br />In the end, one person, one act, can make the difference. "Solace" ends thusly - "I had an awful day. It's great to find you here when I come home."