Laurie Kuntz

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What We Wait For

The black whiskered vireo
landed on the wood- planked railing,
and seeing only what was directly ahead
we waited and watched, yielding,
not to threaten or disturb a simple presence
held only for what lies in the sphere of sight,
on wood, on railing, on bridge, or under sky.
It is all about patience and who relents,
who walks on, who whispers first,
relinquishing wonder, treading ahead,
past the sound of fluttering wings.

My Conversation with Death

It is a short chat.
Death has no time to dilly dally
get to the point Death smirks,
so it brings me to the point of my life,
in spite of all my airy accomplishments,
I can not impress Death
to take a sabbatical,
a leave of absence,
or weekends off,
with every plea,
Death gives a huge guffaw.
All my requests bore Death to death.

Laurie Kuntz’s books are: That Infinite Roar, Gyroscope Press, Talking Me Off the Roof (Kelsay Books), The Moon Over My Mother’s House (Finishing Line Press), Simple Gestures (Texas Review Press), Women at the Onsen (Blue Light Press), and Somewhere in the Telling (Mellen Press). Simple Gestures, won Texas Review’s Chapbook Contest, and Women at the Onsen won Blue Light Press’s Chapbook Contest.   She’s been nominated for four Pushcart Prizes and two Best of the Net Prizes.  In 2024, she won a Pushcart Prize. Her newest manuscript: Shelter in Place was a finalist in the Louis Prize from Concrete Wolf Publishers.  Her work has been published in Gyroscope Review, Roanoke Review, Third Wednesday, One Art, Sheila Na Gig, and other journals. Happily retired, she lives in an endless summer state of mind.  More at: https://lauriekuntz.myportfolio.com/home-1

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