THE LAST AFTERNOON SHADOW         

by Emily Black
           
    
     moves across newly mown grass
and seems to carry with it the end of
summer. Loneliness falls over me

and I long for the clover fields of my
childhood. The innocence and trust
we shared at this age was truly a gift,

a gift which disappeared into the jungles
of adolescence and didn’t resurface for
many years.

It returned like a peaceful rain that
washes away weariness of a world
in discord, a world I can’t change,

or so I think, but here it is again─
that feeling of fulfillment and pleasure,
new and bright as a shiny copper penny.

I need to go in. Night is falling. I must
leave these cool shadows of evening,
but I’ll take with me that shiny little coin,

that coin of promise,
a coin that will buy me happiness
and contentment.


* * * * *

Emily Black was the second woman to graduate from the University of Florida in Civil Engineering, then engaged in a long engineering career as the only woman in a sea of men. Lately, she’s been writing poetry, has been published in numerous literary journals, and was a recipient of the 79th Moon Prize awarded by Writing In A Woman’s Voice in 2021. Her first book of poetry, The Lemon Light of Morning, published by Bambaz Press, was released in February 2022 and is available on Amazon. Emily wears Fire Engine Red lipstick.