A solitary loon
drifts low in the water,
dives for food,
rises to the surface,
then lifts herself from the lake
to the tip of her tail,
face demurely turned,
wings fluttering,
a geisha's coy dance.
As dusk closes its bleary eye,
the loon's plaintive wail
plunges into our aloneness,
taunts that self
we mask all day
with beguiling manipulations
of our fans.
My pencil touches paper,
making loops of silky silver spit,
coiling cocoons, awaiting
a burst of wings.
Nailing Together Bits of Chaos; Jerry-Rigging a Life is a selection of 47 poems from a life-time of writing. The author, my sister, Donna Brua, brings together a group of poems, some serious, some whimsical, reflecting on life's different lights and shadows. I've included below a few of my favorites, along with the drawings that accompany them. The book--hardback with dust jacket, 144 pages with 73, mostly full-page, drawings--is available, inscribed as you choose, from Donna or me for $20.00 plus postage. Reading each poem many times in the process of creating the drawings, I enjoyed them more each time.