FollowThe poetry of Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz has been huge for me this year. 2019 has been a tough one with a fire on the Saturday before New Year’s displacing me from the house for 2 months and losing a job since I couldn’t work with the fire.
My second favorite book from COA is her book about losing her mom “How to Love the Empty Air”. And honestly something that can make me cry is incredibly helpful. It also makes me think about losing my dad 6 years ago on April 1, 2013.
This is one of the happier poems from the book:
Barton Springs
by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz
When they locked the north gates early,
we decide to just walk across the river bed
in our bare feet, the tallest carrying our towels.
on his head. When we reach the springs,
the night is still warm, but so dark. Austin
in late summer, and everyone is laughing.
The water feels like a kiss: all wet and wanted.
Everyone is in love: the moon and the water,
the diving board and the rocks, the night air
and the howls we released into it at midnight.
Weeks ago, you told me you’d never been.
That you felt too pale, too awkward to go.
In the dark, I swim towards you, even though
you aren’t here. Still, I swim to you, the hope
of you, under the pale, perfect Texas moon.