Susanne
Bowen
Building Connection & Community
New Poems
Bus Stop
Driving down the road
The sun in my eyes
Feeling a bit irritable
With traffic aside
Then I caught a glimpse
Of a woman torn weary
Waiting for a bus
Three bags in tow
Making note, I turned
Pulling into a
Precision-marked row
I opened my door
And then it came to me
This woman I saw
I’d like to make her day better
To whatever degree
I approached her at a distance
Hello, how are you?
Are you coming or going,
Do you have a moment, please?
I noticed you as I drove by
I thought you might enjoy a rest
From all you do
Would you be my guest?
Across the way, there is a shop
It would be my honor
What do you say?
She looked at me with surprise
And a sparkle in her smile
Are my ears hearing right?
You’re asking me to join you
Bless your heart
Yes, I would
My feet, what a sight
When we entered the shop
I nodded and said
We are together
This is my friend as you see
Then we each took a seat
And waited our turn
To be called back and assigned
Within a few minutes
We would soon learn
They were ready for two
So we settled in our chairs
The technician asked,
How do you do?
A simple polish for me
As for my friend here
Please do as she shares
As our nails were buffed and polished
We exchanged niceties of family and such
How life impacts us all
Being mindful not to trespass
On my guest’s personal space
That she may enjoy as she wishes
And at her own pace
I was soon prompted to pay
Yes, I replied for two
l slipped on my shoes
And slowly moved
Then turning, I smiled
And waved good-by
Thank you for accepting
You have a good day
Rest Assured
I sat upon the bench last night
And watched
My fingers speed across the keys
I thought to myself how can this be?
I practice with such ease
And then a smile came across my face
I knew just then the source
You worked at this and kept the faith
It’s your refuge, your life force
Listen to your heart, that’s where I’ll be
Nurturing you onward, helping you see
You’re never alone
As quiet as it may seem
My love for you runs deep
Without measure, nor degree
I’ve been there when you’ve wept
Uncertain where to go
And walked with you to see you through
When shadows obscured your view
But days are brighter now
Vision, clarity, too
The future is a blank canvas
Let your spirit guide the way
Brunch on Amsterdam
Walking briskly
Down Amsterdam
On Sunday mid-day
He spies the restaurant
I hear good things
What do you say?
We step inside
Have a look around
Can you seat us outside?
It’s an amazing day
Taking our seats
Alongside the street
We soon are greeted
At this idyllic café
My son is my date
My day is complete
On this clear, breezy day
The table is set
Crisp linen, silver too
Life teaming around us
A mosaic of colors
Vibrations and hues
Occasional conversations
Are hard to ignore
We smile and carry on
Mindful of time & chores
Oh if I could just bottle
This moment as it were
To later reflect on
I’d love just a bit more
There is nothing so cherished
Then the time with my child
When I can look in their eyes
See their depth, their style
Memories imprinted
From the past, I explore
Of their triumphs,
And independence
Their happiness
I want nothing more
