Kathleen Beavers

At 79


I celebrate the ordinariness of things —
sunlight on a pigeon's wings,
traffic like commuter jets
beyond the backyard wall —
All those things, although banal,
are all that's left 
to wonder at or ponder on...
How I scarcely noticed them before
until love and travel were no more
a possibility 
for the old person I have become...
All those lovers, all those friends,
all those there-and-back-agains —
New Orleans,
Paris,
New York City...
Once I knew I'd save the world...
My ambitions now are few and mean:
remember your passwords,
brush your teeth...
and keep the kitchen clean.

Kathleen Beavers attended the University of Oregon and currently lives in Las Vegas with one son and two large dogs.  Her poetry has recently been accepted by Ribbons, Lighten Up Online, The Lyric, and Sparks of Calliope.