Spring Reflection Suite

I. Time

I remember being small
in the back seat of Mum’s sedan
wishing I was old enough
to sit up front
now I stare out the window
wondering where the time went
and wishing I could recapture
that little girl’s smile.

II. Old Cassette Tapes

It feels like yesterday, not 30 years ago
the three of us piled into the car
questionable singing loud and proud,
Cliff Richards’ Living Doll blared
from a selection of well-worn cassette tapes
as we hit the road on our next adventure
I wish I had realised back then
the sacrifice she made, my mother
to give us the world, while she went without
I never appreciated how she scrimped and saved
to create unforgettable moments
and make us feel like we never
missed out while she always did,
those holidays, just the three of us on the road,
those old cassette tapes and our terrible singing
will forever remain, my favourite days.

III. Will I Still Bloom?

I wonder, when spring rolls around
if I will still bloom?
Whether the harshness
of the bitter months gone by
since I last felt the sun on my face
have stolen my ability
to draw enough strength
to breathe myself back to life
I guess, only time will tell.

Karen Richards, born and raised in Tasmania, lives in Hobart. Tasmanian road trips to continue discovering ‘new hidden places in our beautiful state’ are an ongoing pleasure for her, as is photography and cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. Her first full poetry collection, ‘The Way My Words Fall’, is to be available on Amazon.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.