It was in the middle of a very bad STORM, exactly the kind of situation where Delia hated to have her phone go off. You would think with all these years of working as a doula she would have grown accustomed to it. After all, changes in barometric pressure – the usual thunderstorms, tornadoes, and snowstorms – did seem to throw her clients into labor. She had taken many a middle of the night drive in bad weather. Nevertheless, she didn’t love it. At least she had gotten a chance to take the CANOE out this afternoon, well before the clouds had gathered.

Her conversation with her client was short and encouraging. Delia had a list of questions she always asked after the obvious ones about length and timing of contractions. This client had indeed napped and eaten a normal dinner, things that would be helpful later. Hanging up, she spun around, frustrated that it always took longer to get out of the house than she hoped. Now,where had she put her keys? Ah, there – on the PIANO. Taking a big breath, she quietly opened the door and stepped into wind and rain. Making a dash for the car seemed her only choice. A wild night to be born, she thought, as she took a breath. Settling in for the drive across town, a grin spread across her face, downpour or no downpour, she thought, “God, I love my job!”

Georg’ann

After the ANGRY eruption
we both sat in silence.
BLANK faced, no response.
Despair settled like volcanic ash.
Eventually one of us rose,
and then the other, retreating
from the massive mess.
Walking past the music STAND
I regretted having used my voice,
not the PIANO, to unleash my fury.
My words, he never understands.

Heather