Letters…words

for the most part
handwritten letters
have become a thing
of the past
it’s so much easier
to send a text message
an e-mail
or just call someone
instead of sitting down
and writing the latest news
or checking
to see how someone is
but it’s more than that
people
don’t want to spend time
reading letters
handwriting can be messy
or difficult to read
some can no longer decipher
cursive
and can only read printed words
speed
is what’s important to everyone
but I think we’ve lost something
by no longer writing to each other
there’s an intimacy there
a feeling of focused attention
and connection
that one can’t really get
from a text message
you can’t stack your tex messages
and tie a ribbon round them
or feel the touch of thick
handmade paper
between your finger tips
there’s no way to send
a wisp of perfume
or a pressed flower
but those things are
silly
and old fashion now
we see them in movies
that are black and white
but I do have cards
and notes tied up with ribbons
and I’m so happy that I do
since those who wrote them
are no longer with me
but I have their words
the look of their handwriting
and their little drawings
as well
we should write more letters
a few words
to keep
and cherish
a few words
to remember
who once was

 

Picture: Pixabay

A letter…

I’m typing this letter
because you can’t read my writing
don’t feel bad
I can’t read it either
anyway
I’m fine
happy
sort of
eating lots of chocolate
taking time to smell the roses
not literally
of course
since I can’t smell anything
I mean I try to smell them
it’s just that
well
you know how it is
I’m writing
making things
drawing
dreaming
playing
and dwelling
upon the fact
that our country is
disintegrating
in front of my eyes
but there are carpenter bees
drilling away in the garage
they are big and fuzzy
I know you’d like them
and there’s a guard bee
who protects the others
I say hello to him
every time I see him
because he’s beautiful
it could be a her
I don’t know how to tell
it’s okay if the bees live with me
I’ve been thinking a lot about
Flying Monkeys
and have come to the conclusion
that all girls should
get a few of them on their first birthday
they’ll be completely trained
naturally
and can be used to attack bad people
including government officials
I planted the garden
kissed and petted the cat
numerous times
I think she knows I love her
I saw a crow yesterday
I miss them
There were millions in Paris
but ours never really recovered
from that horrible bird flu
it’s been hot and sunny
it’s wonderful
but the seasons are mixed up
so we’ve had summer
and next week some of spring
will be with us
I’m going to play in the dirt
tomorrow
I saw a huge worm
the other day
I put him in a safe place
although this is earth
so there are no safe places
not really
well
I hope you get this letter
I’m not sure where to send it
your ashes are scattered
so you don’t have an address
I just assume you’re around someplace
and will find it
I’ll write again soon
love you
miss you
hope you’re happy
I think when you died
it was such a great loss
that the world tilted a little
I could be wrong
but maybe that’s part of what caused
climate change
it seems true to me
I just don’t know how to prove
those kinds of things
if you get a chance to write
please do
thanks for sending all the
feathers
XXOO

 

Photo:  Colin Lloyd
Unsplash