Tag Archives: waiting

Fall Poem in Spring

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Fall Poem in Spring

The heron stands
on the ice, waiting.
Frogs bury
themselves in mud.
Beneath the heron:
fish, swimming.
That spear of a bill
is ready but at
the ice’s edge,
nothing appears.
Used to stillness,
the heron keeps
waiting. Until
one day hunger
drives it south,
its wings silent
in the fall air.

Today, suddenly
spring happens.
And there is the heron
perched on a snag
by the swollen river.
I do not know
how far it has traveled.
How can it move
so little? From where
does it draw its patience?
The heron forgets
the ice, forgets
its hunger. It only
waits, waits
for its next meal
that surely will arrive
any moment now.

Waiting for the Bus

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And There It Is

ZZ Top has this song, Waitin’ for the Bus, that comes into my head pretty frequently. Whenever I walk to the end of the driveway to wait for my daughter to get off the school bus the guitar riff that starts things off and the opening line, “Have mercy, been waitin’ for the bus all day,” zips through the old brain. I thought I would share it (with a bonus song, also a good ‘un) so you might get it going on in your own head. I happen to really like this tune, so hearing it over and over inside my skull is OK with me.

I haven’t actually been waiting all day, I know, and I am not a sunglassed rock guitar artist with a long beard, and I really look forward to the bus coming and my daughter running out its door, happy to be home, so I don’t exactly need any mercy, if you know what I mean. Nonetheless, I sing it while I wait. Sometimes quite loud.

Waiting for the School Bus

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Every weekday morning my daughter heads out to wait for the school bus.  An adult needs to be with her and often that means me.  Often it means the whole family.  I love the ritual of walking down the driveway and waiting together.  It gives us a chance to be together and to start the day by being in the day.

It is easy to go from the house to the garage to the car to some other indoor space.  It would be easy to stay inside all day some days.  And this does happen, although I try to avoid it.  Our school bus ritual helps us begin the day in a good space.  We hear the geese flying overhead, we see the fog rising over the hills, and we feel the cool fall air.

Some days it rains.  Some days the sun shines.  Some days we do not need the umbrella we bring.  Every day starts with a fine morning.  I look forward to waiting in the falling snow or in the spring wind.  The walking and the waiting give me perspective and help me think clearly throughout the day.

Twice now, house guests have walked out and waited with us for the bus.  My daughter got quite the send-off.  She was pleased, grinning as she got on the bus.  It was wonderful.  Other days it is just me waiting with her, or waiting for her in the afternoon.  Those days are peaceful and full of joy.

Tomorrow I will be off early and will not be the one to wait with her.  I am sure I will have a good day, but it would be better with a little walk, some time together, and a few quiet moments waiting in the morning air.  The school year means my daughter spends less time with us, but it has offered these moments.  I will savor them as long as they are offered.