The husband and kids drive off, they leave
me in total peace. This time
it is late July. If I think
of them now, I smell the chlorine
and the sunscreen. I’m happy
being here alone. It is always the corner
seat of the couch. I open
every window and tuck my feet under
my thighs until the breeze lulls
the dogs to sleep. The sky
is indigo, the trees proud. Savoring
the sound of the neighbor’s wind
chimes, I begin to write
what I hope is a poem so honest
it leaves my heart empty.
Poem by Candice Kelsey
CANDICE KELSEY teaches writing in the South. Her poetry appears in Poets Reading the News and Poet Lore among other journals, and her first collection, Still I am Pushing, explores mother-daughter relationships as well as toxic body messages. She won the 2019 Two Sisters Writing’s Contest and was recently nominated for both a Best of the Net and a Pushcart. Find her at www.candicemkelseypoet.com