The deer wander on the edge of the forest just beyond our property again this morning as branches wave a love song of early spring. Cardinals and their feathered cousins sing and call across the treetops while I sit inside and sip honey-sweetened morning tea, an Irish blend our grandson brought back from college, sent home because of this pandemic. The word lands foreign on my ears. Next week, I’ll discover three of my friends, a cousin, and a Facebook acquaintance have been hit. We quarantine to flatten the curve, so I sit inside, relish this morning, and treasure this quiet moment, this simple cup of tea. Copyright 2020 Janice Hoffman
Bio:
JANICE HOFFMAN holds degrees from Indiana University, teaches writing at the post-secondary level, and is published in the US and Canada. Her work appears in various literary journals and state poetry society anthologies; she edits A Commonwealth of Poetry for the Poetry Society of Virginia. Her poetry collection, Soul Cookies, was released by High Tide Publications in 2019, followed shortly by her children’s book, Four Fairy Friends. Cuatro Amigas Hadas will be available this summer. Jan resides in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Donation Appeal:
Throughout June and July, we will be presenting on this web site work by poets and artists responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you will find these works relevant, comforting and inspiring as we all cope with the economic and health-related fallout.
As you view the work on this site each day, we would like to encourage you to donate to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). Their mission “ is to feed our neighbors in need by providing dignified access to supplemental groceries. AFAC is seeing a record number of families due to the COVID-19 pandemic as families who never thought they would ever be in need are now showing up at our doors for much needed food.” And, in keeping with our hunger-focused efforts, you may also want to visit the Poetry X Hunger website where poems by many poets are posted and are being used by anti-hunger organizations.”
Throughout June and July, we will be presenting on this web site work by poets and artists responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you will find these works relevant, comforting and inspiring as we all cope with the economic and health-related fallout.
Please consider donating to AFAC. If you do, let us know which poet or artist inspired you so we can send you a personal thank you.
If you send a donation, please let us know.
And thank you for your visit and your generosity.
