This is an old poem of mine, 2022, from before my recent book was published. A couple teachers/editors have seemed to consider it too sentimental or were concerned by the unabashed anthropomorphism which is frequently thought to be tacky or at least uncool. Yet, I love it and this is my blog and I get to send you poems I enjoyed writing and still make me smile when I read!
May we all have more hours soaking in the sun for stores to call upon as we fight for a better world.
***You and yours are invited to our poetry reading next week, Wednesday April 30, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Bookshop West Portal – 80 W Portal Ave, San Francisco, 94127. My writing group poets and I will be reading from our recent book Season Lightly With Salt. Other books by the five of us will also be available. Modest refreshments.
A Gladness
I never see anyone moving it
yet it travels around the park.
The green chair in the quiet neighborhood park
is a gracious Adirondack with a few broken slats.
Still, it opens its wide arms
perfect for balancing ice tea with a sprig of mint,
a paperback, a child on a lap.
Sometimes the chair is under the trees, looking
as if it is imagining a lake with gently riffled water.
Or over by the picnic table
where a grandfather could sit amid squealing children.
Misty morning, dew on its seat,
did it walk around at night,
legs splayed, slowly picking its way through grass?
It is turned now toward a modest grassy spot,
repose for a friend watching frisbee tosses,
or respite for the tired, enjoying the dogs’ waggling
romps in their pure happiness.
From my desk at the window,
I can see the chair, now angled away
in slanting sunset shadows.
A lone raven perches on its back,
then flaps up into the surrounding pines.
Heather Saunders Estes 
Wonderful ♥️
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I like it too, Heather. I like the happy thoughts each scene the chair portrays in my mind as it moves around from different people and locations. thanks for sharing.
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