At Night

Happy World Poetry Day! I thought it would be fitting to share my poem “At Night” which I wrote for the Poetry & Art Grapevine at the Yorkville Public Library in 2023. The project paired a dozen poets and artists: A poet would write a poem and then it would be given to an artist to create a work inspired by it, all done anonymously. Then the painting was sent to another poet, who wrote a poem based off of it, and so on and so forth. Then all the art was revealed to the poets and audience while the poets read their works. It was a wonderful experience, and my poem happened to be the first piece in the grapevine.

I was delighted by Peggy L. Wilkinson’s beautiful painted interpretation of my poem. “At Night” was written during COVID, when my wanderlust was at an all-time high. I was thrilled when she gifted me the piece, and it hangs in our living room over my cabinet of writing books. It represents to me two of my greatest loves: writing and travel.

At Night

At night, I am a traveler.
My mind a plane which takes
me away, lands

me on the Spanish Steps,
long-stemmed rose in hand, I inhale
for its scent, but do not detect its perfume.
In Bangkok, I slurp noodles
with family under a scorching midday sun—
yet spice and heat and warmth elude me.
Then upon a jagged coast I stand
in Maine, waves crash against rock
but the spray does not drench my skin.

When I wake, at home,
my senses restored, I am awash
in a river of the familiar.

~Lisa L. Macaione