This is just to say
that I'm sorry I was late
to my meeting this morning
except not that sorry.
I stopped to take some pictures
of the tomatoes in my yard.
They were so beautiful.
So small and green
and so flecked with
rainwater.
And the meeting
seemed so far away.
Paul Hayday, Tomatoes
RUTH BOWEN HERSEY lives in Haiti where she teaches English, including poetry, to seventh and eighth graders at an international Christian school.
Love it, Ruth!
ReplyDeleteMe,too!!! Love it. Not even a hint of false apology.
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ReplyDeleteThe cherry tomatoes in our garden when I was growing up often made me late for work at the pool. Nothing better than tomatoes off the vine for breakfast!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to stop and notice this. It's so important to slow down our days and moments.
ReplyDeleteWater drops on vegetation. So much to love!
ReplyDeleteOh I love false apology poems and this one is so clever.
ReplyDeleteBut I do need to add a genuine apology that I have not been involved in celebrating this wonderful anthology, of which I am part. I will rectify that asap!
I love this "apology" poem! "And the meeting/ seemed so far away" --great ending line!
ReplyDeleteLove an apology poem riff, especially this one on MEETINGS! Thanks for joining the Poetry Friday fray. I just noticed that IMPERFECT was not on my "sneak peek" list of 2018 poetry books (which I update all year long) and I have rectified that!
ReplyDeleteA smile-inducing apology!
ReplyDeleteI love it! And yes, tomatoes top meetings every day of the week!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you "stopped to take some pictures
ReplyDeleteof the tomatoes in" your "yard." Love your poem Ruth and the pic! Tomato pics win over any day for me over a meeting.