Welcome our new staff, Tara & Barbara
Tara,
Maiden turned midwife,
An ayurvedic cook
Settling into the nook of Klamath Glenn–
Wrapped in a shawl,
Patterns meeting patterns
She holds a gaze when the mood strikes
Concern for a world spinning down.
Let her play her hand, to knead, with her fine-lined palms,
Her storytelling fingertips, and words, all the shapes
Of things to come.
Barbara,
Wizened crone, she carries
Belly laughter
Steam cleaners
Non-chlorine bleach spritzed from the bottle.
She, carrier of compassion of history of sharp wit
Of chemical compounds spoken from her tongue’s tip,
Has carried four children, has carried herself,
Has carried her story far.