Robert Renard

The Quiet Early Robert Renard

The COVID pandemic has reshaped our lives and the country. Just as we readied ourselves for new adventures, welcoming friends to our remodeled home overlooking a rural valley we had to self-isolated ourselves to "stay safe and well". Since then our ridege top farm has become a wonderful place to live during this awful time of illness and death. We both put our hands to writing, gardening, learning how to visit "socilly-distanced" from loved ones and freinds. It has not been easy but the nature that surrounds us has nutured and protected us from illness. We are blessed. This collection of poems have been written in early quiet of the morning here at our farm. during the past year. Written in self-isolation, self reflection, worry, hope and great joy. My wife and I have come to love our farm and the nature that surrounds us. We have come to notice the other beings that inhabit the air and the land with us and to watch the seasons come and go. We have become more part of the cycle of life in so many ways, expected and unexpected. We have learned new ways to enjoy being mostly alone with one another without diners out, concerts, and visiting with freinds and family. We hug and kiss each other a lot. And writing has helped me develop a renewed sense of the safety we enjoy in this space during this time of the pandemic isoltion.