2 Poems Published in Sept. 2020 YCN

6 a.m. Feeding
By Janet Sobczyk, 2020

Pale pink sky
low clouds 
rustle of wings 
sharp eyes spy seeds 
sharp beak defends 
squabbles rebuff 
push off 
flutter back 
crowd ‘round 
until… 
only shells left.

Back to School After Covid

By Janet Sobczyk, 2020

It took courage

 to step in those doors on August 10th

 the doors we last walked through on March 16th

 stunned, struggling to understand

 all our plans evaporated

 in the wake of a mystery illness

 striking randomly

 like an enemy submarine taking out our country’s fleet

 stealthily, swiftly, inciting mass fear.

 One survivor said on the phone 

“My family got Covid, 

I don’t know if I’ll ever be brave enough to teach again.” 

Another teacher texted, 

“I quit after getting Covid, 

I’m praying for you as you return to school.” 

Grateful for her prayers 

I think, with hope, “they survived!” 

against the odds, both were most vulnerable. 

And so did the woman 

I feared wouldn’t make it 

the first documented case in Nebraska 

played basketball at Special Olympics 

against my daughter’s team 

so friendly, talking smack, smiling 

we ate lunch with her 

only God knew she’d soon be 

in critical care for weeks. 

She was vulnerable 

so is my daughter 

and my spouse, and me, scared 

wanting to stay home in a safe bubble 

venturing out for weekly supplies 

content to work remotely, 

study online, video chat 

walk the dog, do yard work 

as sunshine beckons. 

Now summer recedes, duty calls 

ignore the statistics and news 

gather strength for a new journey 

re-enter a school familiar 

but profoundly changed 

interact with people in person again 

anxiety’s high 

but there’s comfort, too 

a team working for a good cause. 

August 17th, it’s showtime! 

the stage is set, protocols in place 

to welcome brave students 

with bright eyes and masked smiles 

wanting to hug, holding back 

they line up at arms’ length 

thrilled to see friends again 

but nervous knowing the danger 

one pukes and goes home. 

The day is filled with teaching 

routines, new rules, not much math 

sanitizing, washing hands 

taking temps three times a day 

sanitizing, washing hands 

the students tire, barely speak 

teachers talk all day behind masks 

feel claustrophobic, dehydrated 

everyone goes home exhausted. 

The week flies by 

students stagger in, not used to early rising 

one quarantined Zooms 

his face on iPad carried from class to class 

strange, but our new normal 

Wednesday feels like it should be the weekend 

we keep calm, carry on 

by Friday we all heave a sigh of relief 

we made it through the first week!

Click here to see the September issue of Your Country Neighbor.

"A Dying Barn" published in YCN Aug. 2020

A Dying Barn

by Janet Sobczyk, 2020

Abandoned barn amid neatly tilled rows

 red paint worn down to gray wood

 decrepit boards broken, sagging

 vines creep up sides, to pitch of roof

 appear to hold the structure together

 wrap it in a soft green blanket

 shingles blown off in patches

 let setting rays shine through

 an orange sunburst

 like the last breath of life

 leaving an old man’s skeletal frame

 soul’s glow resilient, ascends

 follows the directional arms of steel weathervane

 its silhouette forming a cross

 pointing the way heavenward.

I wrote this poem when I saw a photo of a dilapidated barn covered in ivy with sunlight gleaming through its holes. I don't have permission to use that photo so Stephen Hassler, editor of Your Country Neighbor, was kind enough to find a great one of his own to pair with my poem. Many thanks!

Click here to read the Aug. 2020 issue of YCN

2 Poems Published in "Screamin' Mamas"

Screamin' Mamas highlighted my poetry in their Fall 2020 issue. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for their beautiful work.

Back Cover 
This poem is reprinted with permission from YCN, Aug. 2018

First Page

Front Cover
This photo ties in with the poem on page 1.

Click here to see the whole issue of Screamin' Mamas, Fall 2020.

"Unearthed" published in July 2020 YCN

Unearthed

By Janet Sobczyk, 2020

Spring weeds popped up

 ‘round the stone bench

 she sat, plucked, yanked

 dug out the roots

 tap, tap, what’s that?

 trowel hit rock

 wait, more than that

 brushed away dirt

 it’s mosaic!

 a stepping stone

 blue birds in flight

 pale pink flowers

 she sat in awe

 examined it

 perfect for her

 love of nature

 felt like a gift

 buried treasure

 from Mother Earth

 or previous

 owners long gone.

Click here to read Your Country Neighbor

"Grandma's Library" published in June YCN

Grandma's Library

By Janet Sobczyk, 2020

“If you build it they will come” 

says a movie quote that’s wise 

but for my new home 

not a Field of Dreams did I devise 

but a space for grandchildren 

someday, to play and read. 

Built before the first was born 

white shelves with books old and new

 tubs for toys, a rocking horse

 a rack with dress-up clothes, too 

while visions of happy children

 danced through Grandma’s head.

Click here to read Your Country Neighbor

NWG Author Chat interview and poetry reading

Thanks for tuning in to the live show! 

If you missed it you can still view it on Youtube (click here).

Interviewer Victorine Lieske and  guest Janet Sobczyk on NWG Author Chat, 6-4-2020.

I want to thank best-selling author/interviewer Victorine Lieske 
for making this a fun experience.
 Also, a big hug of gratitude to everyone who asked questions, made comments on Facebook, and sent me encouraging texts. 
I had fun! Hope you did, too.

"Spring Plays Peek-a-Boo" published in YCN, May 2020

Photo by Stephen Hassler, editor of Your Country Neighbor

   

Spring Plays Peek-a-Boo

By Janet Sobczyk, 2020

The weather is a popular topic for people all over the country, but I suspect Midwesterners can one-up most weather conversations.  In the Midwest we have four distinct seasons which change not only every few months but often several times a day. I’m not sure other parts of the country have those bragging rights.  

I was born in Arizona and my weather memories there range from sunny and warm to sunny and beastly hot. I remember one December there was a trace of snow that melted immediately. Everybody in the neighborhood was outside snapping black and white photos.  

Here in the Midwest we know what to expect from three out of four of the seasons. In summer it’s hot or stormy. In fall it’s crisp and beautiful or rainy and gray. In winter it’s long, cold, and can be measured in inches.  

During winter there can be a day or two of spring-like weather, usually in February. Then the next day a blizzard strikes and people grumble because they had false hope that it would be spring soon. But spring plays games with us. All through March and April it peeks in to make an appearance… and then winter hip-bumps it off the stage. Spring doesn’t give up. It sneaks around the curtain and tries to steal the spotlight, until jealous winter notices again. The game is on!  

In spring people are excited to plant flowers and gardens, but don’t be fooled! There’s a rule that I’ve ignored too often: wait until after Mother’s Day to do the planting. I’ve thought that a few warm days in a row were the start of spring. Time to plant my geraniums and put away the parkas! Two days later, “Wrong again,” I think, making a mad dash to bring in the flowers and dig out the coats.  

I’ve seen people leave the house in shorts and flip flops in March and April after a couple nice days, thinking it would be hot by noon. Nope! At the end of the day they come home to make soup and wear fuzzy socks with flannel pj’s for a few more nights.    

Even nature gets fooled. The daffodils and crocuses rise up demanding to be the first to show off
their finery, only to get hit by frost and slump miserably to the ground. Robins return, grow round-bellied, and start to build nests. Then bam! They get slammed by a snow shower and huddle together glaring, as if to say, “Whose idea was it to come back this early?!”        

I truly feel sorry for them. Mother Nature leads them astray year after year. Birds are so gullible.


Click here to see Your Country Neighbor's May edition online