During the month of April, I have challenged myself to write a poem each day as a way to participate in National Poetry Month. Today’s poem is a TANKA. Tanka poetry refers to a Japanese 31-syllable poem, traditionally written as a single, unbroken line. The word “tanka” translates to “short song.”  Here is my version.

Kind acts are alive

Shopping at the Dollar Store

Someone held the door

Conversations in aisles

A car stopped to let me cross.

Some days gettting around is not as easy as others, and those small acts of kindness really mean a lot. Not only did a young woman hold the door for me, she was was like a perky store greeter asking me how I was. A couple of people in the store struck up short conversations about items they were looking at. Even with masks and social distancing, and people searching for last minute items, there was kindness. It was a cane day for me, so heading back to my car I stood on the sidewalk waiting for a good time to cross over to my parking spot when a driver in an SUV stopped and let me cross and didn’t creep up as I was crossing. I felt unhurried, and that was another kind act that made a difference in my day. It was certainly a reminder to be kind: it isn’t that hard and could change a person’s day.