On the index card, I wrote What Compels Us. I crossed out ‘us’ and wrote ‘me.’ Smart. In poetry, I think it’s always best to start with the personal.
WHAT COMPELS ME
Morning light
Conversation over coffee
The wag of a tail
The clench and stretch of a cat’s paw
Sliced pear and a muffin
Words on the screen one after another
Laughter shared on a phone call
A handwritten note put in the mail
Pink and red flowers in a vase
And these bits occurred the first few hours of today
What compels me is the
Magnificent gift of being alive
Borne by the smallest moments.
What compels me is the noticing.