Abundance to Share With the Birds

by Andrea Potos


Another early morning
in front of the bathroom mirror--
my daughter making faces
at herself while I pull
back her long brown hair,
gathering the breadth and shine
in my hands, brushing
and smoothing before weaving
the braid she will wear
to school for the day.
Afterwards, stray strands
nestle in the brush, and because
nothing of beauty is ever wasted,
I pull them out,
stand on the porch and let them fly.  


* * * * *

"Abundance to Share With the Birds" is from Andrea Potos's poetry collection Her Joy Becomes (Fernwood Press, 2022).

Andrea Potos is the author of several poetry collections, most recently Her Joy Becomes (Fernwood Press), Marrow of Summer (Kelsay Books), Mothershell (Kelsay Books), A Stone to Carry Home (Salmon Poetry, Ireland) and Yaya's Cloth (Iris Press). Her poems can be found widely in print and online. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.