Life throws us curve balls all the time. Some are minor upsets that we deal with and move on. Some completely upset the balance of our lives and take longer to recover from. Over the past year, two big curve balls have kept me from writing and posting regularly. Last year, after working as the literacy specialist in my school for 17 years, my assignment was changed to middle school language arts. I did my best to rise to this challenge. Then, last November, my mother fell ill and required round-the-clock care. This meant finding a nursing home, selling her house and all the headaches that went along with that. At first, it seemed like Mom was doing okay and we were prepared to settle into a new normal. Sadly, though, she took a turn for the worse and passed away in February. In addition to dealing with grief, there were now a myriad of other details to attend to, some of which are still unresolved. Through all of this, there were still lessons that were completely new to me to prepare and papers to grade. I had nothing left for poetry.

What I did make time and space for was my family, especially my grandchildren. They have buoyed me up when I needed it most. They never fail to make me smile, and they inspired this poem.

At the Creek–a nonet

Screams
of joy
erupt as
kids plunge into
a rain-swollen creek.
Jumping, laughing, splashing;
sprays of water cascade through
the air. Everyone is drenched.
Teeth chatter; campfire and s’mores await.

© Catherine Flynn, 2025

I’ve missed you all and am working on getting back to writing and blogging more often. Please be sure to visit Carol at The Apples In My Orchard for the Poetry Friday Roundup.