Andrea Potos is the author of several poetry collections, including Marrow of Summer (Kelsay Books), Mothershell (Kelsay Books), and An Ink Like Early Twilight (Salmon Poetry).  Her poetry appears widely in print and online, including in Spirituality & Health Magazine, The Sun, Poetry East, One Art, Braided Way and How to Love the World:  Poems of Gratitude and Hope (Storey Publishing).

MY MOTHER LOVED WORDSWORTH

Today I am closing my eyes to bring back
the yellow long-stemmed roses that spilled
over her white coffin,
yellow roses in all of our hands as
the duo of priests chanted in Greek 
I did not need to understand, 

all I understood was beauty
inscribed on the warm and soft pages
of June air, and afternoon echoes
of the poet:  grieve not, rather find. . . 
splendor in the grass,
glory in the flower. 

LOST BRONTE LIBRARY RESURFACES

      “Highlights include a handwritten manuscript of Emily Bronte’s poems. . . It carries an
       Estimate of 1.3 million to 1.8 million.”  -- New York Times, May 25, 2021.


What would it meant to stand inches
from those fragile pages, ink
from her hand long since sunk
through to the other side--
watermarks to the other world;
her poems laid open to to the auctioneer’s table,
The countless links are strong
That bind us to our clay, 
a roomful of expectant, rising hands
to claim the privilege for themselves, or
to offer it elsewhere for all pilgrims to attend:
Lust of fame was but a dream
That vanished with the morn.  

TIME

     “Is eternity living dangerously.” -- 
                    John Moriarty.

When the moment slips
from itself, flees
the container
of its being,

starts to stride
away, reckless even,
from what could have been
Eden after all.