WHEN THINGS ARE ALRIGHT AWHILE -poetry by guest author Candace Meredith

Something green takes me 

Back to then

When there were forests 

Made of pine 

And the Lilac grew 

From tree roots. 

The canopy so lush 

The birds sang

From branches 

And the Cranes ate

Among moss laden pine 

Where the water was plentiful. 

When the Earth was green 

There were few waiting to leave –

Always wanting to bathe in its warmth. 

The sun shone bright 

Over the horizon

Where the Mountains sat 

Beneath an orange sky. 

When I think of green, 

Before I became the night sky, 

I want to go back to then 

Before the prison bars took me away – 

Being  homeless did not matter 

Because I would lick 

Frost from my fingers 

When I could still touch the Earth. 

Death isn’t necessarily an eerie place 

But all the newness 

Isn’t from long ago 

Like the Earth. 

I like it here among the Heavens –

When the lights go out 

There is stillness here 

Like an essence and I like 

The richness of memory 

Where I lay beneath a hot sun. 

The temperature doesn’t change here. 

I’m mad some days 

When I cannot smell the Lilac 

But I can still see the moss 

Most days because a mind never forgets 

Whereas the senses may have died too.

I relish in the idea of feeling 

Skin again that is damp like the trees.

I feel the moss with my feet –

If I just think long and hard enough. 

Basking now as a body of light 

Has its advantages 

Where one becomes a star 

And then things are alright. Awhile. 

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When Things are Alright Awhile

by Candace Meredith

BIO: Candace Meredith earned her Bachelor of Science degree in English Creative Writing from Frostburg State University in the spring of 2008. Her works of poetry, photography and fiction have appeared in literary journals Bittersweet, The Backbone Mountain Review, The Broadkill Review, In God’s Hands/Writers of Grace, A Flash of Dark, Greensilk Journal, Saltfront, Mojave River Press and Review, Scryptic Magazine, Unlikely Stories Mark V, The Sirens Call, The Great Void, BAM Writes, Foreign Literary, Lion and Lilac Magazine, The Green Shoe Sanctuary Literary Journal, Setu Magazine, Impspired Magazine and various others. Candace lives in Virginia with her two sons and her daughter and fiancé. She earned her Master of Science degree in Marketing and Communications from West Virginia University. Candace is the author of various books titled Contemplation: Imagery, sound and Form in Lyricism (a collection of poetry), Losing You (a novella collection), Winter Solstice (book 1 of a 4 book series): The Crone (book 2), The Lady of Brighton (book 3), Summer Solstice (book 4 in progress) and her recently published children’s books A-Hoy Frankie! Your Riverboat Captain, Matilda Gets Adopted, Who Farted?, Andre the Broken Tea Cup Goes to the Market and forthcoming Nola Plays Baseball, Little Blue Shoe and Girls Drive Jeeps. Candace is also the author of several novels and stories being adapted for film.

Check out her website at www.candacemeredithbooks.com