National Poetry Month 2020: Contagion by Linda Vigen Phillips

For National Poetry Month 2020, we present the poetry and prose from our Members.

CONTAGION
by Linda Vigen Phillips

I can smell the poetry

in the air

everywhere, and be careful

it is contagious.

I explored the streets without cover

and oh my,

I did discover things without

and within.

Wisteria grabbed my nose

on a walk

usually brisk, but now the gift of time

demands my attention, a twist.

A disturbance overhead, I hear

two hawks

frenzied by two ravens

too curious about the nest.

Squirrels, always squirrely

can be ignored

but wait, a symphony

inside my head choreographs their dance.

I came down with it,

the poetry.

An infectious smile

invades my languid soul.

Linda is the author of two Young Adult novels-in-verse: Behind These Hands (Light Messages, 2018) and Crazy (Eerdmans, 2014),  Follow her on Twitter @LVigenPhillips