Danielle Wong (Towards Visibility)

Danielle Wong

HANDICAPPED HOPPERS HANDLE THE YARD

I have never been able to tell a weed from a so-called decent plant. 

A daisy, a dandelion, a hoard of clover grow lush; tomatoes in a garden

will never see the light of day. Few people understand it is how 

I have always been. My attractions are not tuned like most, 

a problem only when I am left to look after others, a delight

for those who appreciate oddities and humor and search to 

make their lives brighter. It is the sad anger in other's faces, the 

knowing that I have yet again destroyed all their hard work, their eye

for nurturing greens and vegetables and fruit, that hurts; and 

knowing that I am a disappointment to him, and 

a major disappointment to my mother, means I can never find solace

with my hands in the dirt, among ants, worms, and handicapped grasshoppers 

for the life of me. At best, I can sit and watch the workers of the land 

do what they do best and listen to their work songs to fill my soul.

***

SILVER FEATHERS FLUTTER

I do not remember the exact moment 

I needed to find deep meaning 

in the silver feather that fluttered 

in front of me each time that I 

would wander down the old route, 

the obscure gravel road

with foxtails on either side. 

The fragrant mustard would sweep 

over the land, the one guarantee 

I had that I was on the right path. 

I created a collection made 

from each silver feather. Perhaps that 

is when it started. Perhaps that

is when I needed to clarify the meaning,

a personal inquiry that would shift

my thinking, not distort it, merely

highlight a more accurate reality

***

37 YEARS

Lips against lips

have long

vanished

Fingertips on hips

are ages

gone.

Conversation 

is, at best, 

stilted.

We're still

together.

Is that wrong?

***

Danielle Wong is the author of Bubble Fusion, a collection of poems about raising a child with autism. Her other work has appeared in journals, such as Montreal Writes, Tipton Poetry, The Daily Drunk, Kalopsia Lit, Pendemic, and The Pine Cone Review, as well as in various anthologies, including Chronicling the Days from Guernica Editions, and Resistance from the University of Regina Press. She currently is working on a picture book about a dragon who moves into a suburban part of town. She enjoys attending poetry marathons, walking in forests, listening to crickets, and hanging out with her family. Visit her at http://www.daniellewong.ca.

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Setu, September 2023 :: Towards Visibility