A Poem

~ My old house lingers ~

From the Professor’s Journal

by

Lynda McKinney Lambert

 

 

The Poem

 

 

My Old House Lingers  

 

 

My old house lingers on a ridge

above a cavernous stone quarry

cut into a cove by the rushing waters

of ancient Connoquenessing Creek.

 

This fifty-mile-long waterway

is a classic western Pennsylvania

stream that flows in a serpentine path.

Rushing water meanders, turns, twists and dips

as it races to join the wide expanse

of the Beaver River heading south towards Pittsburgh.

 

 

My black suede boots trundle slowly

through crisp russet withered leaves

blown down by cold winds.

Broken branches snap,

shift, snare and tangle

round my happy-go-lucky legs.

 

The deer path widens between

rows of tall leafless watchers

guarding shady pathway.

 

I listen to “The Connie” in all seasons,

day and night.  We have lived side-by-side

for over five decades. My children and grandchildren

wade in the shallow waters and climb  the rocky shore.

We gather empty clam shells

that raccoons discarded during their night

of dining at the creed’s edges.

 

As I look up into the clear

aquamarine light this morning

a familiar black crow

clutches the highest oak tree branch.

It yells out resounding warnings

with sharp staccato notes.

 

I holler back to this pitch-black crow

 

 

“I will be bringing the sunflower seeds soon.

Give me a few minutes.

 I’ll be right back with your breakfast.”

 

*

Poem written November 21, 2022.

©Lynda McKinney Lambert, 2022. All rights reserved.

 

 

*

The Backstory

Charles Portolano, my friend and editor of The Avocet publications challenged me to write a poem based on a message I sent him as an e-mail.

His challenge stayed on the front burner of my thoughts for that entire day, and night. This morning, as I walked the dogs and did the morning chores outside, I kept thinking about his challenge to write about my home and the surrounding creek and woods.  This poem is the result of my thoughtful musings for the rest of the entire day.

I sent it back to him when I finished writing it.

This poem was published on December 3, 2022.

I received this message via e-mail from Editor, Charles Portolano:

Hello, good morning.  We pray you are doing well.

Your wonderful poem will appear in this weekend’s issue of The Weekly Avocet – #522.

Thank you for sharing this work with all of us.

Please share with all those you know who love Nature poetry.

 

A special to the editorial Portolano family, Charles, Vivian, and Valerie for publishing this poem!  I am pleased to share my thoughts about living in western Pennsylvania, via this poem.

 

 

 

*

Published

 

The Weekly Avocet – #522, December 3, 2022.

Thank you for sharing this work with all of us.

Please share with all those you know who love Nature poetry.

 

Read more in my NEW BOOK!

 

 

BREAKING NEWS

this book is currently in production at Perkins Library, for distribution  through the library and through NLS (BARD).

COMING SOON

MY NEW book is a thoughtful and joyous collection  of my poetry, stories, memoirs, photography, and reflections from 1985 – 2021.

Songs for the Pilgrimage

©Lynda McKinney Lambert, 2022. All rights reserved.

 

 

Order the book for Christmas Gifts –