#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Beautiful Age

It’s cold in the mirror

these mornings I wake up to

this face with new lines laying

tracks over loosening skin – it’s cold

in the woods as I walk into wind shaking

the bony limbs of hardwoods where I am learning to

believe in beech leaves, diaphanous in winter, lasting

so long on their branches they let go by accident, falling

into footprints of hikers, dogs, deer – how they shimmer

on snow, lighting this way into the woods like gold leaf

brushed on whitest blue canvas showing me how

any release may land in catastrophe or something

as hopeful as improvisation

~ Kelly DuMar ©2014

Oh, I made the perfectly right instinctive decision this morning to ski rather than swim. The snow was in perfect, soft, smooth, glidingly powdery condition. And plenty of easy trail established. Charlie, and I were so happy and swift in the woods on the snow. I stopped for beech leaves, a sight I love in winter when they have fallen into footprints. I was prepped and ready for the Charles River writers, and I had all the time I wanted. Then, to the workshop, and the prompt worked wonderfully to produce great writing from the participants. Also, prepping for the phenomenal open mic I hosted tonight for the Journal of Expressive Writing, featuring Laura Davis and her new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars—A Mother Daughter story. Wow, she gave an exceptional reading! And the open mic was dynamic, and we had a big crowd show up. I’m feeling very very satisfied tonight. Rain is projected for tomorrow. The snow conditions will be wrecked, but that’s okay. I had my bliss today.