Inspired Word Poet: Patricia Spears Jones

Etta James sings “Somewhere” from West Side Story

When the blue heron stands as still as cattails
All seems possible: a good life,
Kind neighbors
The healthy cheeks of loved children.

We are not outside nature. We hold nature in our hands.
But even with this knowledge, we cannot stop feeling trashed.
As if we can see the best of whom we can be
Thrown out on the street:
Empty beer bottles, stale bread, fish gone bad.

And yet the heron flies.
The singer strums her decaying voice
Across these words meant for a young soprano

Weeping. Her lover dead. Her brother dead.
Her mother distraught.

How much sacrifice must be made
before that place is found.
The place where our palms open
Our breathing evens out.
Where the flag does not make us sad.
Where we can look to the sky

And see the sky
Just the sky.

- Patricia Spears Jones

Photo Credit: Shannon Elizabeth Hardwick