A poem by Joan Leotta: "Bridge to Freedom."

Joan Leotta has been playing with words since childhood. She has four novels, a collection of short stories and a picture book in print with three different publishers. She has won awards here and abroad for her writing and performing. Her poetry and essays area in Gnarled Oak,Red Wolf, A Quiet Courage, Eastern Iowa Review, Hobart Literary Review, Silver Birch, Postcard Poems and Prose and others. Her second picture book, Summer in a Bowl, comes out in September 2016 Joan also performs folklore and one-woman shows on historic figures. She lives in Calabash, NC where she walks the beach with husband Joe. More about Joan at: www.joanleotta.wordpress.com and on FACEBOOK

Bridge to Freedom

If I could build
a bridge long enough
to bring you here
from where they hold you back.
I would not wait,
snug in my own house.
I would don raincoat and boots
to walk out to meet you
on my bridge of ideas
carrying soup and bread and
cheese for us to share
in a lunch in the park shelter
on this side of the bridge.
We could watch the rain
as we eat and talk.
After our picnic,
Refreshed,
we would both have strength
to remain together
or stay alone.
On this side of the bridge
we can watch the
muddy waters roil
in the riverbed.
Freedom.


Joan Leotta