At the start of 2021, I chose “light” as my word of the year. 2020 had been a heavy year for our family. I needed a word that evoked levity, joy, hope.
My body, a wonder
She used to race, Nikes flashing across worn asphalt, Lakefront wind slicing against her, heart pounding, flying free. She swam, limbs threading Lake Michigan’s rough, cool waters, gulping air, rocketing herself forward, weightless. Back then, she measured her worth with numbers: pounds, pace, calories. Afraid of everything and nothing. She once saved two men fromContinue reading “My body, a wonder”
Ode to light-catchers
Call it foolish, call it futile, /
say flamboyant if you dare. /
As for me, I’ll call it radiance,
God only knows (a sonnet)
Where can we get a baby? / my son asks, his blue eyes piercing / in the morning’s heel.
Eyes for Easter
One of my favorite Bible stories is that of Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. Her grief still fresh and sharp, she believes a visit to Jesus’ burial site promises a private space to mourn. But when Mary arrives, the stone has been rolled away. The perfume still lingers, but the grave is empty, saveContinue reading “Eyes for Easter”
Advice to myself at the close of a pandemic
Be gentle with yourself. // Listen closely to your heart …
At home together (a tiny love story)
The first notable thing about Jay was his hair: shockingly blonde and spiky. The second: He was late to class on day one, strolling in during introductions. The only open seat was next to me, so he took it. His very presence shifted the air from stale to charged.
He is four
He is brightness and joy, // the glow of the warm sun // rupturing cloud cover.
Miracles in the year of pandemic
In the year of pandemic, we could linger in bed on a Tuesday morning and discuss our dreams. Stay in our pajamas. Savor juicy blueberry pancakes and the view outside our bay window. Beyond the glass is a tree I never used to notice — red pinpricks fleck its branches in early spring before becoming pale green buds that unfurl into cream-colored blossoms.
Heroes and villains
All I can think of is the news — the violence at our nation’s Capitol, the security breaches, the deaths, the racism on display. Worry lodges itself in my stomach while I scroll, scroll, scroll, searching for answers. The question I keep coming back to: Who have we become? My son only wants to talkContinue reading “Heroes and villains”
Erin Strybis 