Joan M. Howard
TODAY
This October twenty-seventh, one day
in years without you, seated on lake’s dock,
I watch late afternoon’s white haloed sun,
lights shading gray-blue, gold, then blinding white.
Sky south, then east, two arrows slowly stream,
heads rainbow prisms, cirrus shafts down arced.
These prisms enter widening halo’s target rim,
and when they do, transform to white.
Blue heron also watches, beak lifted
immobile, high, as if in ecstatic rest,
wings slightly unfurled, underwing linings
white as that sun, and holds and holds as if
in salute. I hold and hold too,
in daily extraordinary, this – you.
Author’s Comment: I was seated on the dock when this extraordinary sky transpired. The heron incident happened while paddling by in a kayak – the sun too perfect and warm for both of us to resist reverence!
Bio: Joan Howard’s poetry has appeared in The Road Not Taken:The Journal of Formal Poetry, Lucid Rhythms, Victorian Violet, the Deronda Review, Our Pipe Dreams, The Reach of Song and others.
Wild Goose Poetry Review 
Lovely, Joan,
Thank you, Glenda! I appreciate it!
Nice work, Joan. Well-painted scene and sentiment.
Thank you, Robert! That means a lot, coming from you!
Joan, your poem is packed to the end with taut beauty.
Maren, you are always so precise and insightful with your comments, I so appreciate your fine poetic mind!
Thank you for your comments and thank you to Scott for the opportunity to publish in this excellent issue!
Joan this outstanding poem “Today” shows how one finds a way to continue to live in the world without one’s life mate. I remember when you wrote it and still say it is one of your best.