Whenever I read what I feel is a really good poem, I want to share it with people. A lot of times I email them to friends and since a lot of you have become my friends over the years, I wanted to share it with you. This poem is by Malena Morling and is called Simply Lit. I think there’s magic in it. See what you think.

In addition to writing novels, I also write poetry and I have been modestly published a couple of times. I think a good poem makes us realize that we’re not alone. It expands our world in some way. See what you think of this one by Malena Morling. As always, I welcome your thoughts, and if you have a poem that you’d like to share with other readers, please email it to me or put it in the comment section. –Susan

Simply Lit
by Malena Morling

Often toward evening,
after another day, after
another year of days,
in the half dark on the way home
I stop at the food store
and waiting in line I begin
to wonder about people. I wonder
if they also wonder about how
strange it is that we
are here on the earth.
And how in order to live
we all must sleep.
And how we have beds for this
(unless we are without)
and entire rooms where we go
at the end of the day to collapse.
And I think how even the most
lively people are desolate
when they are alone
because they too must sleep
and sooner or later die.
We are always looking to acquire
more food for more great meals.
We have to have great meals.
Isn’t it enough to be a person buying
a carton of milk? A simple
package of butter and a loaf
of whole wheat bread?
Isn’t it enough to stand here
while the sweet middle-aged cashier
rings up the purchases?
I look outside,
but I can’t see much out there
because now it is dark except
for a single vermilion neon sign
floating above the gas station
like a miniature temple simply lit
against the night.

“Simply Lit” by Malena Morling, from Astoria. © University of Pittsburg Press, 2006.

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