January

A glittering chandelier dangling
over an empty dawn ballroom.
A cane yanking us from past to now.

Sturdy iron handles encouraging us
to grasp and pull hard.
A dam dismantled so the river runs free.

Abandoned plans discovered in the back
of the pantry. Hands opening to reveal
ruby-tipped matches to light our way.

A wooden mantle to hang our hopes on.
An exquisite fan for us to open, painted
with peacocks, peonies, and daydreams.

A van waiting for us to jump in for a joy ride.
A bowl that’s cracked because it’s so crammed
with brand-newness.

The sanctuary of second to six-hundredth
chances. Shiny coins to jangle in our pockets
the rest of the year.

*

Sheila Wellehan’s poetry is featured in On the Seawall, Maine Public Radio’s Poems From Here, Psaltery & Lyre, Rust & Moth, Thimble Literary Magazine, Whale Road Review, and many other publications. She served as an assistant poetry editor for The Night Heron Barks and an associate editor for Ran Off With the Star Bassoon. Sheila lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. You can read her work at sheilawellehan.com.