Medicine Poet Mike Bayles

Friends, I hope you enjoy this poem by Mike Bayles. Mike is  a lifelong Midwest resident and the author of Threshold, a book of poetry. He is a widely-published poet and short story writer and has contributed to other community blog projects. WVIK Public Radio has featured his writing.


Town Siren Sounds at Noon
by Mike Bayles

Town takes pause at noon to the sound. Mother in park

watches daughter on swing hang onto chains, but touches sky.

She wants to be an astronaut. The mother wants to be

a nurse in the city while she thinks about past lives. The girl

 hangs onto chain, and she closes her eyes to see stars.

The mother wonders how she can let go. The dog on a leash                              

watches waving limbs and wispy clouds. He wants to be a bird.

A bartender pours a drink for a construction worker having a liquid

lunch. He wants easy conversation. She glances at the TV, where

the weathercaster talks about warm days and endless skies for another

week. Her children are grown, but she holds onto summer dreams.

She wants to be a star while the construction worker wants another drink.

The owner stands at the grill wants another cut of meat. The siren sounds

in town, announcing time, while traffic moves at leisurely pace.