Honeybee

Loving the African Daisies with pollen on his knees

Greetings

1. Bird:

Yellow streaks on face and body

Zipped just in front of my face
As I came out of Whole Foods
Landed in a heavenly bamboo bush
Sitting among the red berries right next to me

He sat for several seconds
But flew away when the camera came out

2. Monarch:

Never seen a butterfly zip around so fast
Barely moving its wings
All over the front of our house
From one side to another
Multiple times

3. Hummingbird: 

Resting on top of a tree
Then flying to plants in our yard
By front and back windows
Where we sat separately

Back to the tree to rest in front of me

From her book, Grieving is Loving

Once upon a time, the world was right.

And when the world was right,

our hearts beat together. 

The future included us. 

Together.

And when the world was right,

I could speak your name without pangs,

and all my plans centered on our togetherness. 

And when my well-planned world contained you, 

it was a beautiful life. 

I never planned for this apartness. 

I never planned for the collapsing grief of your absence.

I never imagined, and still cannot, 

that this could be my life. 

I just miss my right world. 

I just miss you. 

-Dr. Joanne Cacciatore