this life

     this life.

      it seeps down

    into holes in the heart 

     I didn't know existed

    I see 

   my dusty shoes,

   and think of

   the morning walk

   with my 8

   I see

  in my google history

  how to say words

  randomest things

  that come from needing

  to know things to tell

  the kids

     I see

   stunning sunrises

  and sunsets

    rainbows

  beautiful in this 

   kansas land 

    

    I hear

   my 8's laughter

   over innocent

   random jokes

  my heart smiles along

    I hear them 

  cheerily say 

   good morning

  and it makes my day 

   even better

    I hear them singing

  hearts open wide

    I hear 

  my coteachers

  spill their hearts

   and their laughter

  laughing until we cry

 I hear the moms 

tell me they're praying

 and they support me

  I smell

the fresh air smells

 I missed when I worked

inside all day

  I smell

 my candle,

 from the shultzs.

(they're the best)

 something about it 

  makes the classroom smell

of my own school days

trip down memory lane

  I taste

 a lovely coffee drink

brought our way

  or the yummiest granola bars

or El Puerto when noone feels

  like cooking 

  I feel the fall air

    at recess

  the solid thud 

    of the softball 

   in my mitt

  The breeze in my face

   because after all

  this is Kansas

   I go to youth

 and church

   and school

 and treasure

these days,

  where God has me now

 and I think

how blessed am I...