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Breathing; Love These Lively Things

Breathing; Love These Lively Things

– Poetry by Barbara W. Bradley –

Girl running with balloons in a field.
Love These Lively Things

Run. Twirl. Swing. Dash out
the door. Hop around squares.
Kneel on the floor. Jump through
two ropes that are turning. All
as natural as a bird taking wing.

Your amazing agility astonishes in your
imaginary adventures. Like a predator chasing
down prey, you bound up the stairs and spring
into a hovering helicopter. Or leap onto a horse
and gallop away in a race to catch a train.

Your nimble navigation with the vessel you are
brings a bounty of joy as you chase down a ball.
Jog ’til you sweat. Race down the road with the dog.
Outrun a drenching as you dash through the rain.
Treasure your leaps over puddles.

Dance to the music now as a time will come when a
wiggle will have to do. When the dog runs loose, you’ll
just stand there and yell. You will only jump at the slam
of a door. You won’t dash through downpours, but with
umbrella up high, walk with care around puddles.

You won’t drop to your knees in prayer.
You will lift your eyes to heaven, though,
as you did when you ran with your kite and
watched the sky, believing the liveliness
you love would last forever.

Breathing

The airy ease of my lungs
filling with life-giving
oxygen went unnoticed
muscles moving automatically.

I felt no gratitude

until just walking forced me
into gasping for life,
bent over in
fruitless
search
for
air.

Grasping for rescue,
I inhaled medicine,
each calming breath adding
to hope that my life will be
normal again and I will be
graced with easy breathing.

I am now filled with gratitude.


About the Author – Barbara W. Bradley
Barbara W. Bradley

Barbara W. Bradley is an artist who, nearing 80, has only recently said out loud,“ I’m old now.” Forced to give up sculpture and explore this new, often difficult territory, she takes time contemplating life. She’s found some comfort and clarity in writing essays and especially poems. With an urge for a community of stories, she has begun to submit to journals. This is the first publication of her poetry.

In addition to her art journal jottings, she has written for various organizations and a newspaper. Her sculptural wall pieces are in private, corporate and Minnesota University collections. She was raised in New York State and educated at Skidmore College and the State University of New York at Albany. Almost 40 years ago, she moved to Minneapolis, MN with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.


Did you like these poems by Barbara W Bradley? Then you might also like:

Sanctuary, and other poems
kindled
The Body as Poem
Metaplasia and other poems
This is What Death Does
Things I’ve Learned on the Road
Dog Men (A Prison Story)
We grew up on fear and became heroes
Mud Season, Graceless & Violet Abandon
The damsel in distress was not for me
In the Blink of an Eye, Risk Taking, Afterfall
In Time I’ll Thank Shamon
The Space I Take
The Worst Drunk Poem I’ve Ever Written

Or, consider the following: 

To check out all the poetry available on Dreamers, like these poems by Barbara W Bradley, visit our poetry section.

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