Friends
One bright red cardinal
nods, greets
one dirt brown sparrow
who dips, meets
cardinal’s eye. They stand,
perch shoulder to wing
atop the fence
pleased—in their bird-like way—
to find food in this winter-ready
backyard, waiting
acutely aware of snow
set to fall in the coming hours.
Friends, these birds are,
after all.
……
This poem is from the chapbook
Porch Light by Katy Keffer (Finishing Line Press) and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/porch-light-by-katy-keffer/
At its heart, Porch Light is a story about growing up and gratitude. This debut collection of poems is an appreciation of childhood, nature, and character instilled from a central Kentucky upbringing. Porch Light begins in the rolling knobs outside Perryville, Kentucky, with the celebration of a freight train’s “Red Caboose” to the joy of a school “Snow Day.” There is self-reflection: adulthood’s uncertainty in “Pressure” to belief in oneself in “You Have Worth.” Through it all is an abundance of joy—love of home in “Her Name Was Percy Shades” and love at home in “Dear Kevin.” Porch Light offers gentle tribute to the places and memories that comprise our spirit and encourage lasting acceptance.
Katy Keffer is a Kentucky native and writes poetry, nonfiction and fiction inspired by her Bluegrass childhood. Some of her work appears in Freshwater Literary Journal, A Plate of Pandemic, Hare’s Paw Literary Journal, The RavensPerch and Sad Girl Diaries. She holds an MBA, an MFA in Writing, and is founder and editor of the online literary journal The Bluebird Word. She writes and lives in Virginia.
The Paddock Review 