A Simple Life
It all comes down
to facecloths
and underwear
I have to wash
to black and white thread
you can stitch anything with
and a blue hen’s egg
in the laying box
It all comes down
to which flowers are in bloom
the size of the moon
and what to make for lunch
to what dreams you remember
and which ones you write down
to pens that click – on and off
and doors that don’t have to be locked
It’s all about the lyrics
about the comfort and color
about words that go together
and pants that fit
It’s about the people you admire
and those you don’t have to see
about the way you dig potatoes
and sip your morning tea
It all comes down to following leads
to a hot bath at the end of the day
to sunshine and silence
and a porch birdfeeder
to finding a four-leaf clover
in your own back yard
____________Colleen Redman / Poets and Storytellers United
April 3rd, 2021 9:26 am
That sounds entirely beautiful. The simple life is the life for me. I love everything about this.
April 3rd, 2021 10:23 am
In my humble opinion, CR, this is one of your best. I love the boil downs. Superwork.
April 4th, 2021 12:20 am
Yes indeed! Those small yet vitally important details, which, in the end, !life is all about. Our true riches.
April 4th, 2021 2:47 am
Your opening lines made me smile, Colleen – we always need facecloths and underwear! This poem is so down-to-earth, with threads of simple joy interwove with fantasy in the ‘blue hen’s egg in the laying box’, ‘size of the moon’, ‘dreams you remember’ and the luck that comes with a four-leaf clover.
April 4th, 2021 3:41 am
Good fortune and weather to suit is good to anticipate and even better to receive. I think helps to be a positive person too.
April 4th, 2021 6:01 am
Hi Colleen, I’m not sure if ever mentioned this before but I truly love your poetry. How you make the simple and ordinary so extraordinary is impressive! Brilliant write.
April 4th, 2021 9:44 am
Indeed! It all comes down to the seemingly small thing: today, I was made happier by waking up to the song of a tiny bird with the hugest voice I’ve ever heard coming out of a beak. I’ve no idea what kind of bird it was, but I know it was a gift
April 4th, 2021 11:13 am
Sounds calm and peaceful. Sipping tea sitting onour balcony bench, cooking comfort food, and waking up to my dear ones seem to be what made today today. Beautiful write
April 4th, 2021 1:20 pm
I love this cozy ode to the small but precious magic present in our lives. Those little moments hold so many things, if we let ourselves be present in them.
April 4th, 2021 9:22 pm
So many lovely things there. I especially noticed the pens that click. I will only use “clicky” pens. A hot bath and sunshine and silence. Silence, that’s the hard one to get.
April 5th, 2021 8:20 am
Nice! It’s truly about the little things and I love your opening stanza.
April 5th, 2021 10:56 am
it all sounds very calm and beautiful. yes, the little, small things matter. 🙂
April 5th, 2021 2:06 pm
Getting down to basics — and isn’t that what it’s all about! I have a Thoreau quote hanging in my den … SIMPLICITY SIMPLICITY SIMPLICITY and I’ve always wondered if he really believed it why he had to say it three times!
April 6th, 2021 4:40 pm
Lovely thoughts. ?