the curmudgeon

he’s a difficult man

well known through the town

an unfriendly coot

with a permanent frown

daily seen in a terrible mood

short-tempered

offending

unflinchingly rude

living just feet

from the door to his life

witness to the grumbling

he makes of his life

i can also attest

to the flash of his smile

to his generous nature

(when not being vile)

It takes very little

to stir up a fuss

to feel the sharp sting

of this old sourpuss

yet being good neighbors

to his sort in the past

we found simple kindness

sweetens sour moods fast

it doesn’t take much

to shed light on the dark

to simply accept

that there’s bite and there’s bark

that below the rough surface

all calloused and dry

beats a sensitive heart

lives a pretty nice guy

so i try to turn cheek

to his commonplace gripes

to the misplaced resentment

he’s let run his life

a constant reminder

how to live and let live

to accept what we can

and to give what we give

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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.