On a cold rainy afternoon
gazing out the window
stuck inside, nowhere to go
laundry to fold, ironing not getting done
lost in my thoughts, sipping herbal tea
musing about my life
it’s that kind of day
sometimes I wonder
if I had strayed off the path
gone down the other road
opened the rickety gate
deviated from the expected
climbed the impossible mountain
went on the back of the motorcycle
with that cute long- haired guy
who really wanted me to go with him that night
was a bad girl
was a disappointment
dyed my hair purple
got a butterfly tattoo on my ankle
lived in a third-floor walk-up on the Left Bank
I chuckle over what I didn’t do
but they weren’t really me, not who I was
and when it comes down to it
I don’t regret for a minute
the choices I’ve made
the paths I’ve clambered on
the roads I’ve taken
I’ve been blessed to share a life-long love
and any sacrifices I’ve made, really not many in sum
the three good kids I’ve raised, the seven grandchildren I cherish
the places I’ve been, the places I’ve missed
my only regret is that life is slipping away
way too fast now
and on some rainy days,
I suppose I’ll still wonder about
those roads I didn’t take
After retiring, one inspiring writing workshop launched Joanne Jagoda on an unexpected writing trajectory. Her prize-winning poetry appears on-line and in numerous print anthologies. She has received two Pushcart nominations and first place in the Gemini Open Poetry competiton. Her first book, My Runaway Hourglass was published in 2020.
