Castaway

the view from the window begins to change

from tidy, green plots bound by old stone walls

to countless streets, crammed and confined

swarming

clattering

unsettling the mind

excited and antsy to explore different spots

to stroll past the shops, savor new delights

to feel the tempo of a city, tangled with possibilities

populated

sophisticated

drifting as a castaway through its gritty complexities

the fashionable women and chic boutiques

the trendy cafes and stark, urban scenes

past the homeless on corners and downturned eyes

commotion

congestion

the traffic fumes rise

nothing but a stranger here

nameless face in faceless crowds

intriguing to get lost in, but longing to get out

ill at ease

now fatigued

the lure no longer about

all my thoughts now turn to home

to sweet-smelling air and generous smiles

a small, happy cog in a small town’s life

well-embraced

treasured place

simple pleasures, quiet life

eager to finish the business at hand

we grab a quick bite we don’t normally have

and pick up our pace as we aim for the station

for home

to roam

our small town salvation

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Author: Anne Celano Frohna

I have been writing for as long as I could hold a pencil in hand and would not feel complete without it. And I actually made a meager living at it (and as an editor) for 25 years. I worked for newspapers and magazines, in graphic arts and advertising, and wrote several local history books. But I have also taught English in Japan, been a Nanny/family chef in Italy, worked in and for museums, was an Airbnb Superhost for four years, as well as an Etsy shop owner, where I sold vintage items I found over the years at thrift stores and yard sales. After moving to Arizona with my family in 2010, I completed a series of different writing projects, including two books of creative non-fiction: Just West of the Midwest: a comedy (Based on journals I kept during my two years as an English teacher in rural Japan.) Within Close Range: short stories of an American Childhood (Short stories and poems about growing up as the middle of five children in suburban Chicago.) But in the past few years, I have found my voice in poetry. I am a mother of two wonderful girls, Eva (26) and Sophia (24) and wife to one wonderful husband, Kurt. In 2023, with our girls grown and off on their own, my husband and I packed up our things and moved to the tip of Italy’s heel, to the Salento region, where I continue to work on my poetry, as well as a new fiction project, and indulge in my passion for mosaics - all of which you can view on my Instagram page @ acfrohna.