A SKY-HIGH DAY
Outside by the front door a band of daffodils
swayed in a wild wind—playing trumpet trills.
Mother Nature drew an old seasonal memory,
newly ripped rag ribbons in hand, you with me.
Marched to the store—eyes on a slick stick search, not too thick, not too thin—a perfect parrot perch.
New rolled up kite, two balls of string from store,
empty lot across the street—windy murmur not a roar.
Time slowing down during kite introduction instruction,
rag tail, coiled string on sticks—connected construction.
I held the kite like a torch, running fast against the wind
until I heard you say, “Let go”—up, up a sky-high ascend.
String unrolling like a fishing reel—aspiring cloud catcher,
unwinding a second stick—I offered to be a string fetcher.
You gave me a quarter, run to the store—more kite string,
not flying high enough—another two quarters that spring.
On a windy day I remember when our kite kissed the sky,
surely the cloud dancing flight would have set a record high.
One day you brought your future bride to meet my mother.
I was ten, you were a fun, fantastic uncle—Mom’s brother.
We did escape their giggling “glad we met” heart-to-heart.
A precious magical kite flying memory—set to play restart.
April Ryan is a retired Seattle bus driver and prolific writer, often published in Northwest Prime Time, among other places.
SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).
SHARING STORIES is featured on http://www.northwestprimetime.com, the website for Northwest Prime Time, a monthly publication for baby boomers, seniors, retirees, and those contemplating retirement. The newspaper can be found in the greater Seattle area and other Puget Sound locations. For more information, call 206-824-8600 or visit http://www.northwestprimetime.com. To find other SHARING STORIES articles on this website type “sharing stories” in the search function above.
