Written on a Warm Winter's Day

This poem was written on a warm winter's day, thus best expressing the strange mode of the new normal.

With one long poem complete

And another underway

My spirits have remained

Somewhat buoyant

At least until today

As I have heard from

All but one publisher

As to my manuscript’s

Scurrilous fate

The form letters received

And other similar evidence

Of the world’s deep

And abiding disdain

For my work

Even my usually smiling wife

Ever willing but now seems unable

To help dispel

This more ominous mood

That’s overtaken me

Filling me with an inexpedient

Sense of ill foreboding

So now I shall continue

Making my way

With a slight limp

And steady measured gate

But forever I'll remain

Omnivorous for love

Which also means

Sometimes prone to

Such heavy

Discouragement

* * * * *

and then about 20 minutes later

I continued in an improved mood

Yet it’s also true that

Enlightenment comes

When you least expect it

And quite suddenly

The clouds part

So does the Red Sea

To reveal the still unknown part

Of life’s deepest mysteries

And we are so entangled

In their midst

We almost forget

How the time has otherwise come

And gone to eat a good lunch