NO LIFE BUT THIS: A Novel of Emily Warren Roebling is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


It is biographical fiction based on the life of Emily Warren Roebling considered to be the first female field engineer and highly instrumental in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.


http://atbosh.com/authors/diane-vogel-ferri/

Friday, July 4, 2008

On The Fourth


In a tiny pocket of Ohio every Fourth of July
children still decorate bicycles in flag-like streamers
and parade around the neighborhood while parents follow
dutifully, the air heavy enough to make them collapse
into beach chairs by the lake with sufficient talk
and beer to take them through the day, with nothing
to do but watch little sun-screened bodies on diving boards,
on the sand, in paddle boats, hands full of chips.

Hawks in trees watch silently, while a blue
heron may, at any moment, take flight with a giant prehistoric
wingspan over the scene, geese honk, ducks laugh,
snapping turtles hide in the mud, the deer wait until dusk
to stare unmoving in the shadows, the tree frogs and bullfrogs
will start up a lonely chorus in the dark.

A campfire will arise from old ashes, chairs will assemble
to watch fireworks in this, their own little world.
As children disappear to beds, adults will encircle the bonfire.
The women may talk of their book club selection,
and of how their discussion will veer off topic so easily.
The men will talk of the Browns and the Tribe and keep throwing
mighty logs on the fire into the early morning hours of July 5th
because no designated drivers are needed.

The smell of burning wood will permeate
hair and clothes and open-windowed houses,
smoldering into the breaking day, calling them back
to a place where children are children and neighbors are friends
where America hasn't changed as much as we'd thought.

5 comments:

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Lovely. This conveys that old-time spirit that we'd all like to recapture.

Happyone said...

That was so nice to read. What a wonderful day you pictured for me.
Happy 4TH to you!!

Moohaa said...

Amen!

Happy 4th of July!

Jenny said...

We are truly more fortunate than we know to live in a country so great that days like this can be enjoyed, in remembrance of our hard-won independence and freedoms. God bless America!

Mary said...

The picture you paint with words is one of peace, contentment, and love. What a marvelous day.