Early Morning Meditation
When I awake flecks of citrine speckle green constellate yellow break the drape of navy. In luminous abandon I watch ease into the comfort of my imagination await first light and the promise of a new day. Moments like these are celebrations how the heavens illuminate expand into the luster of remembrance and revelation where starshine speaks in galactic specks in the universal swirls within us how our existence is set glows with human lambency. As if celestial bodies we coalesce where earthly delights blush in the crimson woodlands of fall beam in the polished chill of winter trickle in the icy rivulets of spring bloom beneath summer starlight hum the narrative of our vitality sing the story of our survival. When I awake flecks of citrine speckle green constellate yellow break the drape of navy. As if a reminder to persevere I watch as early morning exalts the steadfast magnificence of you.
A January Night Out with the Aqua Monkeys
—for Andrew & Emily As if dipped in chlorophyll, the Hai Hai’s jungle-inspired wallpaper eased my seasonal fatigue. Who could ask for more? A night out with my son and his girlfriend surrounded by a tropical forest was the gift of paradise. For starters, we ordered the coconut shrimp toast. As I admired the greenery, veiled wildlife peered between leaves, lounged atop branches, winked back with assorted shades of whimsy. The aqua-colored monkeys held my fascination, as did its reminder, the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. “Monkeys and Tigers and Frogs, Oh My!” (Yet, my rephrasing was an activation of delight, not alarm.). Chopsticks in hand, I ordered the Hanoi Sticky Rice, a tasty bowl of ground pork, mung bean, fried shallot, and other vegetables. While eating, my silly side surfaced and The Aqua Monkeys were born. Like The Three Musketeers, our nickname embodied the swashbuckling levity of logophiles skilled at (s)wordplay. After dinner, we trudged through the snow to Grumpy’s, the corner bar where everyone’s been welcome since 1906. Charmed with the outdoor fire barrel, we stood in the deep freeze, shared a few more stories and witty remarks, and then drove home. It doesn’t take much to survive winter, in whatever form winter may take. When our survival kit includes humor, gratitude, and imagination (along with an occasional dose of young at heart zest), lives rise with the reinforcement of resilience. And when our resilience is accompanied by caring, respectful, and responsive human beings, we’ve found the earthly equivalent to heaven. “‘Twas the night [of night’s out], when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of [aqua monkeys] danced in their heads. Happy [hibernal solstice] to all, and to all a good night.”
The Survival of Being
Speak your truth. Strengthen your inner resolve. Seek peace and balance in natural settings. Utilize the gifts you were given to unite the world. Unearth and unveil your internal light. Respect your being. Remember to rest. Reward your spirit with fresh air and sunshine. Visualize resistant environments as receptive ones. Venerate daily living with gratitude. Imagine the life you want with tender illumination. Initiate spacious communication. Value small joys. Validate your existence with self-care, self-love, and self-compassion. Align with kindness. Absorb nature’s beauty. Aspire toward goals with quiet patience. Listen to your intuition. Laugh, humor eases harsh conditions. Learn, grow, and create forever.
Jeannie E. Roberts has authored seven books, five poetry collections and two illustrated children’s books. Her most recent collection, As If Labyrinth – Pandemic Inspired Poems, was released in 2021 by Kelsay Books. Her poems appear in Panoply, Sky Island Journal, Verse-Virtual, Visual Verse, and elsewhere. She’s an animal lover, a nature enthusiast, and an equal rights advocate. She’s also a Best of the Net award nominee and a poetry editor of the online literary magazine Halfway Down the Stairs.
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