A Birthday Homage

To Helen Cassidy Page, and a response to her challenge

One does not receive the honor of being mentioned in a post by the luminous Helen Cassidy Page every day, especially not during her birthday month. And heaven forfend, should Ms. Page issue a challenge as she has, to compose a birthday haiku or tanka, that one should fail to rise to the occasion.

Therefore, I did my best this morning to fill up my tanka. Here is the first effort:

Look at you, still here. Another sun orbit done. Now we all get cake!

Well, it meets the rules, if you count right. But it seems a bit pallid. How about:

Her wit? Razor sharp. But destructive? Mean? Never. She wields it with care.

Okay, that works, assuming you agree that “wield” has one syllable. But it doesn’t do full justice to my admiration of Helen’s abilities, nor my naked envy of same. So:

When I’m eighty-one, I hope I’m as bright, hell — Wish I were right now!

And there you have it. I say Ms. Page deserves to keep celebrating for at least the remainder of the month, if not the year (2020 has to have at least one bright spot, after all), and that we all raise a glass of anything delicious to her good health.

Not to mention her kick-ass writing. Cheers, Helen!