“Me and Dread” by Carol Good
Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “Me and Dread” by Carol Good, part of the League’s Fresh Voices program.
Me and Dread
By Carol Good
The way old friends walk together—
that is how it is today with me and grief.
—From “Settling in” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
I seldom introduce Dread by name
euphemisms are more polite in public
Being realistic, my current favourite
Dread and I agree
that as long as I acknowledge
the company I keep
we have a truce
We don’t have to talk much anymore
all that we’ve had to say
has been said
The way old friends walk together –
that is how it is for me and Dread
when we hear chickadees chatter
Dread nudges me, nods at the birds
They too will be gone soon
as their habitat shrinks
and cat attacks grow
I push back a bit
point at the full feeder
the heated birdbath
Copyright © Carol Good
Since retiring, Carol has redirected her creativity into writing – mostly poetry. Her pandemic projects included publishing of her first poetry collection – Alive & 65: a celebration – for her 65th birthday, joining the League of Canadian Poets and setting up a website, carolgood.ca with the help of her dear friend, Sue Reynolds. She lives in an octagonal century home with her very handy husband located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. She recognizes the land as being home and traditional territory to other Indigenous people since time immemorial.
Fresh Voices is a publication and workshop program created by and for the League’s associate members.
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