Laura Rodley, a Pushcart Prize winner, has been nominated for the prize seven times and has also received five Best of the Net nominations. Her recent works include Turn Left at Normal (published by Big Table Publishing Company), Counter Point (published by Prolific Press), and Ribbons and Moths: Poems for Children (published by Kelsay Books). With a talent for capturing the essence of life, Rodley’s writing resonates with readers of all ages. Whether exploring the natural world or delving into human emotions, her words evoke a sense of wonder and connection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PClY8G6HQwk

Why Not?

His eyes green as the midday ocean
looking up at me on bent knee,
seeking my answer to his proposal;
I’d a long string strung with rosary beads
of quicksilver promises,
even promised myself, never again,
but I broke the promise to myself,
as the air thickened
with wildfire smoke around us,
the future lined with stepping
stones of uncertainty,
his hands calloused,
his grip a swinging bridge
over the chasm of doubt.
He could fix anything,
he’d told me, and I’d seen him,
twisting bolts onto new axles.
I gave him the only answer possible,
stepped onto the swinging bridge,
met him halfway: yes, I will, I do.