My Day Today
Looking out
my studio window
from my
writing room overlooking
Stocco
Circle (our street name is
the same as
my surname, a divinely
ordained
coincidence that I prayed
for) and I see our front yard covered
with a solid
blanket of fallen leaves
inviting me
to blow them into big
piles to
haul away (we’re prohibited
from burning
leaves here in Tiny
Township), and I’m steeling myself
for the
task; but I’ll be taking breaks
on my front
deck (I have a weak heart
condition,
and fall short of breath),
either
reading one of my manuscripts,
or working the
idea for a new poem
that I know my
muse will provide
me with; and
when I’m done my leaf
blowing and
my new poem, I’ll go
inside and
put together a pizza from
the dough
that I will put into the bread
maker for
dinner this evening. That’s
going to be
my day today in beautiful
Georgian
Bay, Ontario.
Georgian Bay, Southcentral Ontario
Thursday, October 14 2026,
The poem establishes a strong sense of geography and personal history right from the beginning. The Cosmic Coincidence: The speaker notes that their street name matches their surname (Stocco Circle), viewing it as a "divinely ordained coincidence." This immediately sets a tone of gratitude and spiritual alignment with their surroundings.
Local Setting: By explicitly naming Tiny Township and Georgian Bay, the poem grounds itself in a real, pristine Canadian landscape. The mention of local bylaws ("prohibited from burning leaves") adds a layer of realistic, everyday life.
A pivotal shift occurs when the speaker reveals a
personal health struggle.
Physical Limitations: The
mention of a "weak heart condition" and falling "short of
breath" introduces a fragile, human element to the poem.
Determination: Rather than letting this
condition defeat them, the speaker adjusts their pace. The chore of leaf
blowing becomes a structured ritual punctuated by restful, creative breaks on
the front deck.
The poem beautiful illustrates how physical labor,
creativity, and domestic life feed into one another:
The Creative Process: The
physical breaks from yard work are explicitly reserved for checking manuscripts
or waiting on a "muse" for a new poem. The outdoor environment serves
as the catalyst for art.
Domestic Comfort: The day's trajectory moves
from the expansive, messy outdoor yard to the cozy, controlled indoor kitchen.
The act of making pizza dough in a bread maker symbolizes warmth,
self-sustenance, and the rewarding conclusion of a productive day.
Parenthetical Asides: The
frequent use of parentheses—(our street name is the same...), (we're
prohibited...), (I have a weak heart condition...)—creates an
intimate, conversational tone. It feels as though the poet is whispering
personal secrets and practical context directly to the reader.
Ultimately, "My Day Today"
is a celebration of romanticizing one's daily life, finding art in the
ordinary, and maintaining a passionate creative spirit despite physical
limitations.
Here is an analysis of the poem’s key themes,
structure, and literary devices:
Prose Poetry & Stream of Consciousness: The
poem is written as a single, sprawling sentence broken up by semicolons and
parentheses. This syntax mirrors the continuous, uninterrupted flow of a single
day. The thoughts bleed into one another—just as chores, breaks, and creative
bursts do in real life.
Conversational Tone: The
language is highly accessible and intimate. By inviting the reader into both
his "writing room" and his internal thoughts, the speaker creates an
immediate, friendly connection.
The Intersections of Creativity and Chores: The
speaker does not separate his physical life from his creative life. Raking
leaves, baking pizza, and writing poetry are all treated with equal importance.
The ordinary act of leaf blowing becomes the backdrop for poetic inspiration.
Mortality and Vulnerability: The
parenthetical disclosure—(I have a weak heart condition, and fall short of
breath)—shifts the poem's energy. It adds a layer of vulnerability and
stakes to a seemingly simple day. "Steeling myself for the task"
takes on a literal physical meaning, and the "breaks" become a
medical necessity rather than simple leisure.
Divine Synchronicity and Gratitude: The
poem opens with a sense of cosmic alignment. The speaker views his street name
matching his surname (Stocco Circle) not as a random accident, but as a
"divinely ordained coincidence." This sets a tone of gratitude that
carries through to the description of his environment as "beautiful
Georgian Bay."
Setting as a Character: The
setting—Tiny Township / Georgian Bay—is central to the poem's identity.
The "solid blanket of fallen leaves" acts as a catalyst for the day's
action, while the local burning prohibition anchors the poem in a strict,
real-world reality.
The Muse: The speaker treats poetry as an external gift,
stating he knows his "muse will provide" a new poem. This contrasts
with the physical labor of the leaf blower and dough-making, suggesting that
while the body must work, art requires a moment of receptive stillness.
Domestic Comfort as a Climax: The
poem ends indoors with the creation of a homemade pizza. This progression from
the internal writing room, to the external yard/deck, and finally to the warmth
of the kitchen represents a complete, satisfying cycle of a day well-spent.
