Featured Poet - Laura Daniels
JOYFUL DAFFODILS: A GOLDEN SHOVEL
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the Daffodils.
—William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
I glimpse the scene below and
spot a rippling waterfall, then
turn to touch the glass rose petals, my
partner made, propelling my heart
to pump out magenta joy with
bountiful plum pleasure
that precious beat fills
me with somersaults and
twirling tango dances
as I swirl-spin with
magical dust falling from the
dancing prancing gilded daffodils
WINGED BLOSSOM: A GOLDEN SHOVEL
from joy
to joy to joy, from wing to wing,
from blossom to blossom to
impossible blossom,
—Li-Young Lee’s “From Blossoms”
appreciation—from
this springs joy.
what will you do to
relish this jubilant joy?
what should you do to
absorb this ambrosian joy?
compassion—from
this springs a wing.
what could you do to
fly forth on this feathery wing?
understanding—from
this springs a blossom.
what would you do to
unfurl this succulent blossom?
these encounters enable you to
enchant the possible from the impossible
and find joy in the winged blossom.
ABOUT THE POEMS: "I enjoy creating joyful poems using the 'Golden Shovel' poetic form. They make me happy, and can’t we all use a bit more happiness?"
THE UNSEEN HAPPENED
I didn't ring the bell
that final day
left alone
no one but me
remembered
everyone
busy
not paying me
no mind
the bell unrung
an omen
a sign
for more
to come
or just another
day in the life
of a loner
with much more
yet to live
ABOUT THE POEM: "This is a memory that surfaced about what happened (or didn’t happen) after I completed my last breast cancer radiation treatment."
FRAGMENTS
I
static phone connection
grandma's stoneware
splintered icebergs
shattered vase
chipped front tooth
neighbor’s pinned hip
glass shards
missing book pages
records skipping
memories
II
glass shards
missing book pages
records skipping
memories
III
missing book page
records skipping
IV
memories
ABOUT THE POEM: " Things, both abstract and concrete, can be as fragmented as memories."
GRATITUDE ODE
through gratitude every day
share peace and joy, find wonder
in all the ways it shows up
Health and the ability to move around freely
Spouse and son, who are always there
for me in every way
A comfortable, quiet, loving home
All the work done each day
Social interactions
through gratitude every day
peace and joy show up
to find wonder in all
ABOUT THE POEM: "I had difficulty titling this poem because it feels like a prayer for all the things to be grateful for in life."
PROVIDE NOURISHMENT
Nourish the mind by listening
to thoughts
to movement
to nature
Nourish words by taking time
to reflect
to dig deeper
to revision
Nourish yourself by noticing
inspiration
exhaustion
excitement
ABOUT THE POEM: "A simple poem about being aware and about the importance of self-care."
ABOUT LAURA
Laura is a neurodivergent poet and editor of The Fringe 999 Poetry Forum. Recently curated in Gyroscope Review, One Art, and the Journal of New Jersey Poets, and recipient of the 2025 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Honorable Mention Award. She facilitates a free, monthly international online writing workshop through Mary's Place by the Sea for women whose lives have been touched by cancer. Her poetry collection Gentle Grasp (Kelsay Books) is available on Amazon, and her chapbook Jersey Baked is available through Four Feathers Press.
