'Speaking to the spirit'

 

“Poetry speaks to the spirit by piercing understanding. It interprets all senseless truths – beauty, love, emotion – into sensible scrawl.” – Richelle Goodrich

 

Born in Ogden, UT in 1968, Goodrich earned degrees from Eastern Washington University and has been writing and publishing poetry, short stories, and novels since 2012.  For Saturday’s Poem – from her book Hope Evermore – here is Goodrich’s,

                                                   I HOPED

                                      I hoped for a rose and got lilies.                

                                      I hoped for the sun and got rain.

                                      I hoped for a cat and got puppies.

                                      I hoped for Brazil and got Spain.

                                      I hoped for a raise and got transferred.

                                      I hoped for northwest and got south.

                                      I hoped for ice cream and got yogurt.

                                      I hoped for a kiss on the mouth.

                                     I hoped for more time and got late fees.

                                     I hoped for a cruise, got a flight.

                                     I hoped for Poseidon, got Hades.

                                     I hoped for long days over nights.

                                    You may wonder why I keep hoping,

                                   As fruitless as it seems to be.

                                   But hope is a bow, not an arrow.

                                   Its release depends much upon me.