Poem A Day, 014

Poem A Day, Day 14

Today's prompt was to write an "If I were (blank)" poem. I started with that, but it morphed into this. And I'm pretty happy about it.


Had we been

Had I been born
In ancient Greece
Would we have found
Each other?

Would our souls reach
Interminably
Toward one another

Lifetime after lifetime,
From Provence to Allegheny
From Bali to Marseilles?

In one life, we are twins
Peddling a bicycle through
A field of lavender,
Mountains behind us
And clouds parting
To reveal cool spring sun.

You are the boy
I am the girl
Playing cards
In the spokes
Spin round and round
And round

In one life, you’re the mother
Passing a slice of toast while
A spate of rain,
Staccatos on windows
And cats yowling
To let them come inside.

You are the mother
I am the child
Sipping tea
In the kitchen
Talking round and round
And round

In one life, you’re my friend
Twisting a ring upon your hand
A cup of coffee,
A plate of crumbs
And you need a way
To get out of town.

You are the woman
And so I am
Swallowing tears
In the halflight
Turning round and round
And round

Had we been born
In another time
We would find
Each other

My soul would reach
Interminably
Toward yours

Lifetime after lifetime,
From Galveston to Boston
From London to Belfast
Round and round
And round and round