In a Quiet Moment: Poems

By Mary Elizabeth Lee

She spreads its light,
showing herself
on a cloudless night
as a full moon self.
Given her optimal fullness in the sky,
my heart soars with romance,
with my lover as my ally.
So romantic is the moon
on a dark night in this cocoon ...

Mary Elizabeth Lee, known for her strong and consistent voice, shares her third collection of poems that experiment with new forms for the first time.

In a compilation that varies between free verse, rhymed tercets, and prose, Lee explores a variety of relatable subjects that include the humorous banter between a husband and wife, the art of waiting for a much-anticipated visit, the wisdom that comes from measuring knowledge against experience, the peace that comes with the sounds of rain falling softly on a tin roof, the beauty surrounding the laws of nature, the acts of an aggressive sparrow determined to do whats right for its family and country, and the uncertainty that accompanies a fierce windstorm.

In a Quiet Moment shares lyrical verse from a seasoned poet that leads others on a poignant journey through life, nature, and love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781532049842

Mary Elizabeth Lee

Mary Elizabeth Lee earned a masters degree in liberal arts (English) from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana. Her poems have appeared in Black and Rouge Review (2008-2010), and she is author of the poetry collections Beveled Edges and Mitered Corners and Shards of Light and Threads of Thought. Mary currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Copyright © 2018 Mary Elizabeth Lee.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-4985-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-4984-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018906937

iUniverse rev. date: 07/16/2018

For my love

Contents

What Goes Up

A Step Too Far

Its Very Best

Slow Saturday

The Gentle Wind

Training for the Hunter

In the Moonlight

Protest Day

The Art of Waiting

Search for Meaning

Quiet Trait

So What!

After the Flood

The Saga of Waiting

After the Game

All’s Fair in Expanding World

Along the Road

Arriving at Truth

With Purpose

Birthday Dinner

Nature’s Caretaker

Christmas Bells

Christmas Moments

Clever One

Crossed T’s

Dude, Plow Horse

Early-Morning Coolness

Election Time

Faith and Love

Food for Thought

From Afar

Full of Energy

Gifts for All65

Flood in August

Gravitational Pull

Gray Day

Helen of Troy

Here Comes Santa!

Disguised Intent

A Place of Love

His Things

I Seek

I Would Think

Man in the Moon

In a Quiet Moment

Invitation

Flood in October 2016

Flood and Mold

Belated Wish

Into the Pines

Late Saturday Night

Made to Last

Mardi Gras Parade

Morning

Nature’s Law

Nature Welcomes Spring

New Restaurant

Ode to a Fork

On the Brink

Phoenix

Night Work

Question Mark

Rainy Monday

Rising to the Occasion

Samantha

Bluebird Shelter for Squirrels

Sherman

The Sight of Trees

Silently It Came

Sounds of Thunder

In the House

Spinning It

Starlight

Summer Morning

Survivor

The Aggressor

The Beginning

The Gully

The Eclipse on August 21

Sun’s Patina

The Visit

Through the Pain

To the Dialogue

Trip Home

Watermelon Season

Whip-Poor-Will’s Song

Windstorm

The Promise of the Border

Sunbathing

What Goes Up

When he says, "Not just now.

I am busy," she just looks away.

As he piddles and pretends at cooking,

he may call for the doodad,

the thingamajig, or the whatchamacallit.

She ignores him most

of the time. When she is

inquisitive and asks him

questions when he is driving

about the construction of the roadway,

he quips, "Jump out and take

a closer look. I will slow down."

He often says when she scolds him,

You put a bugaboo on me!

To which she quietly replies,

You silly bird! He calls

her his resident scholar, until

she jumps on his back and

rides him a-bug-hunting.

A Step Too Far

Most days she feels like a cauldron

spewing sparks and steam out her rim.

The boil starts deep in her core, no caution

inching up hour by hour, sliding

between her lips like a low belch.

The hot liquid rolls, widening

the tumble out of the opening,

tainting the air. The cauldron

inside her boils, hot water ruining

the calm water with a