Breath & Shadow
June 2026 - Vol. 23, Issue 3
"Consider This"
written by
Carolyn Martin
You are of more value in the joy of your cross-stitching than in the struggle of your ironing.
— Abraham and Esther Hicks
That’s why I don’t buy clothes that need
ironing and my framed cross-stitch competes
for wall space with a dozen canvases
painted by-numbers, not free-hand.
I’m joyful about things that fritter time
when my practical mind needs a break
from doctors’ offices and messages
tearing across congested cyberspace.
Not to mention from mopping tile floors,
battling knick-knack dust, balancing
bank accounts, and finally figuring out
what I need a new credit card for.
Alcohol ink made me an expressionist.
Close-up photographs. a realist.
Multi-color annuals, a botanist.
Afternoon naps, a languid leisurist.
Is there a world somewhere that’s wide enough
for all the joy we were born to generate?
Or are we stuck with dishes, laundry, and weeds
where value lies in mastering routine?
Carolyn Martin is a recovering work addict who’s adopted the Spanish proverb, “It is beautiful to do nothing and rest afterwards” as her daily mantra. She was blissfully retired—and resting–– in Clackamas, Oregon, until August 2025 when she suffered a debilitating stroke. In spite of physical limitations, she is delighted that she hasn’t lost her love of writing poetry. Her poems have appeared in more than 200 publications around the world. www.carolynmartinpoet.com.