Debra Levy-Fritts, Children: Cities

Children: Cities

Debra Levy-Fritts

Seek the welfare of the city…

— Jeremiah 29:4-7

What blessing can be made, what listening in, lifelong shade, really, to guide the steps away, the living out the life made? A chorus of harmony. Please. As if a shelter of peace. Amen. Go planting, building, singing.

West we rode, old mama and little man with tender chords between us

Trust. We, a dyad from birth speaking

Cooing a common language: Drop by drop pour Into

by mouth with wonder singing you nursery songs, ballads, poetry jams, jazz.

Daily prayers bound with twigs feathers set on wing. I clasp each dream together

Stanchion by stanchion until, strong with purpose

It seemed so simple clear to fathom, raising this life

Though fumbling inherent in the warp and weave of trying

Within the frame to stretch what is possible

Luster turns to lament wearies to night vigilance

Keeping watch over breath, and bent to the task

embrace to let fly

Driving across the plains to the big coast, the clamor,

the city where I’ll leave you.

Or you, me: Goodbyes Wings

I scrape the icing bowl clean: I scoop you up and receive

Back    the dandelion you blew in my gaze,

lips pursed to make seedlings spread – flutter time. From that first little moment you smiling genuine love on a platter, you had me, Big handsome.

Embrace of pride and service

ego slides and so we fall, and rise: serve the future

Nevermore a single only I. Then two rolling westward

To see ya. Later

It is better to part after a blessing:

Seek the good of the place where you are, the best for where once upon a time

You will be planted. Get out. Go there. Ah, join.

Go, thankful.

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Debra Levy-Fritts is a mother, wife, former legal assistant, writer, and community leader with a focus on social action for education and women’s issues. For over twenty years, she has served families of dyslexic children and adult ESL learners through advocacy efforts at Richardson ISD and Literacy Instruction for Texas. She fell in love with poetry when memorizing Longfellow in fifth grade