Hope Whispers contributor Susan Mahan shares how poetry helped her recover from a devastating loss and rekindle an old dream.

War Story

When death rifled my dreams,

I put my heart on reserve

and marched resolutely in place.

The plan of attack: nothing mattered.

Life was neither good nor bad enough

to hold impenetrable despair at bay.

I hid beneath a smoke screen, held on for dear life,

and waited for hope to rescue my soul.

Good news from the front:  the reinforcements have arrived.

"I wrote poetry for three or four years after my husband died before I remembered that I had wanted to be a writer as a kid, " Susan shared.   "Life had gotten in the way, and I had put my dreams away to get married to a great guy and raise a family of two wonderful sons.  It wasn’t until my husband died and I had too much time on my hands that I could hearken back to my elementary school days and what I had hoped for in life.  Swan Dive was how I felt when I realized that I was meant to be a writer all along.  It was a wonderful (and hopeful) feeling, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever “forgotten” a dream.  Dive in!

Swan Dive

I gave my notice at work today.

 I am leaving a desk job to follow my heart.

My heart, which has never paid a bill in its life,

says I must write.

It’s not like I haven’t jumped off cliffs before.

I usually close my eyes,

hold my nose,

and cannonball into the future,

hoping for the best.

This time, I am poised to swan dive.

I will leap off with oomph.

My back will be gracefully arched.

My eyes will be wide open,

and I’ll land

like Esther Williams

in a shimmering pool

of

words.

Born in South Boston, Susan Mahan has been an editor for the South Boston Literary Gazette since the fall of 2002.  She began writing after her husband died in 1997.  Poetry has been a great source of solace to her. She has published three chapbooks, Paris Awaits, In The Wilderness of Grief and Missing Mum.  In addition, she has been published in numerous publications and anthologies.

Hope Whispers is available through Amazon.com, BN.com and www.whisperingangelbooks.com.