UNEXPECTED AT PAPER POETRY
Coping Without Mom
A magic 9 poem about unexpected loss
At the playground beside the water
I could see a child playing
Nearby stood her father
Hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on his child
He seemed content to watch her
The girl suddenly stopped her play
Calling her father to come over
“Daddy how long are we staying”
“I don’t know. How long would you stay with your mother?”
This poem was based on a story my former dentist told me about raising his two daughters after his wife abandoned them. He had no idea what to do with their hair, or what their clothes and shoe sizes were, etc. Even though she didn’t die, I imagined how a father who was unexpectedly widowed might feel.
As I have previously shared, I have enjoyed the ability to create my own images for poetry. The process of writing and image creation are intertwined for me. I like to share the prompts I use because I have learned from other creators who have shared their prompts. Oh, and by the way, sometimes I create an image before I write a poem. Yup! Quirky, I am!
