The marine layer descends
shrouding my neighborhood
in a cool grey silence
befitting my mood
while my body goes through
the agonizing detox of hormones
it had ramped up production of
just six weeks ago
The cramping has mostly subsided
but still physical activity
is a great chore
as it seems my body used up
half of its energy creating a life
and the other half rejecting it
The dogs are pretty oblivious
to all of it - the chill in the air
the quiet, the emptiness
they only know
that there are bushes to be sniffed
and trees to be peed on
and so expect their usual walk
I don't even brush my hair
After their business is done
I turn back for the house
but my youngest pup pulls me forward
his attention drawn
to something down the block
A lone bubble
with no source in sight
carried on a breeze
down a deserted street
bobbing along the sidewalk
iridescent colors swirling
The object is so foreign
the young pup can't decide
if he should chase it or eat it
and so stands mesmerized
until the old dog and I catch up
and the three of us stand still
contemplating the curiosity
It is an unexpected wonder
to encounter the unexplainable
popping up on the dullest of days
When it collides with a brick wall
and disappears into a small sprinkle
of tiny dots on the driveway
the grace of the moment lingers
and I am filled with gratitude
knowing the bubble maker
is still out there somewhere
