This Morning / When I Was New by Joan McNerney

This Morning

Between deep night

and soft dawn the

mist covers fields

spreading over sea grass

climbing bunchberries

wetting seeds, leaves.

Milky smoke roams

back and forth

wandering voiceless

through mountains

of morning.

Whistling in fog

past sycamores

warblers seesaw

up cloudy layers

up up circling

toward heaven.

When I Was New

When I was new

and the world was new.

So many roads to wander

under a cerulean sky.

Forbidden fruits to savor,

forbidden lips to taste.

Full of promise, flowers

budding on the vine.

Their perfume covering

my fingertips.

I hurried through each day

alive with my songs.

The moon rose just for me and

stars burned just for me

Every morning brought 

sunshine to my window.

Another day filled with wonder

waiting at my doorstep.

Spring was greener then.

When I was new

and the world was new.

Joan McNerney’s poetry has been included in numerous literary magazines such as Seven Circle Press, Dinner with the Muse, Moonlight Dreamers of Yellow Haze, Blueline, and Halcyon Days.  Four Bright Hills Press Anthologies, several Poppy Road Review Journals, and numerous Kind of A Hurricane Press Publications have accepted her work.  Her latest title is Having Lunch with the Sky and she has four Best of the Net nominations.