Unexpected Marvelous Places and Other Poems

By Dana Zullo

Unexpected Marvelous Places

There were days 

when the world was available 

before us.



We found ourselves in unexpected 

yet marvelous places. 

It seemed all doors were open to us.



Climbed a mountain 

just because the opportunity presented itself. 

Explored 

and accepted the California air 

(in days before wildfires and smog) 

in the beginning of it all.



Time and space stretched out 

like a watercolor painting.



The life we have now 

is because we 

created that dream for ourselves. 

Sewed the golden thread into our coat lining. 



Yes, there were others who believed in us 

and supported us. 

But, it took years of stubborn growth 

to appreciate those sacrifices 

and accept their offerings 

with graciousness. 

With a simple ‘thank you.’ 

With a quiet smile.



Look how far we’ve come 

and thank you to the helpers.

Ancient Parchment

Planning and scheming. 

Writing and dreaming.



You write ideas in a book that gets sprayed with sea water 

and crinkles like ancient parchment.


This document is only good to preserve on a shelf 

or perhaps not at all,

use it as kindling.



Awake, 

untethered from notes, 

calendar, 

and busy items. 

You remove the salty, foggy, glasses.

Before you is revealed 

a bed of oysters,

each one containing 

a perfectly 

plump, 

pearl.



Pluck the pearls 

and arrange the three dew drops on a cord tied tight in a lover’s knot. 



When you pinch each one between your fingers 

you know this life is real, 

solid, 

and sometimes sublime.



Straighten your glasses 

and see reality before you.

Lucky Muddy Bay

The notebook captured 

everything.


Open sky,

the birds glided free.

I curled my toes in the dark, 

cool sand.


Luck would have it, 

just at sunset, 

I spotted a friendly, grey dolphin in the bay.

I felt close to Mother Earth 

and humbled by the immense beauty 

and grace of nature.

Scribbled a few lines of poetry 

then tore out the page 

and crumpled it in my hand.


Sometimes words can’t capture the feeling, 

of being free.

Content

Perfectly made

Already 60% water, 

I immersed myself in the brackish, muddy bay 

to total up the remaining 40% 

To become 100% water.

I closed my eyes 

and moved like those infants in videos who naturally know how to swim.



Follow your instinct and move gracefully.

Hearts Open

We had a guidebook and two backpacks.



Only a destination

No reservations


No smartphone

We captured each moment with our eyes wide open.

Heart open

We snapped an ideal picture with a digital camera 

dug out from a pocket in our pack.



We drank coffee black. 

Bought a whole, roasted chicken in the market 

and brought it home to our apartment for lunch 

with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. 

We napped in the afternoon and dressed to go out on the town at night.



We walked cobblestone streets. 

Marveled at everything 

Tried to converse and purchase goods in a foreign language. 

Ate by candlelight 

Walked on together exploring

Traveling as if we were floating

Invincible

We didn’t plan for the week or even tomorrow. 

We lived in the now and were open to life’s unexpected,

beautiful gifts, 

even sorrowful lessons. 

We accepted new adventures,

big or small,

it didn’t matter. 

We kept our hearts open. 

Dana Zullo’s poems have been published in Paprika Southern and Literary Yard. Her artist biographies are seen in printmaking guides at Crown Point Press. She received artist residencies at South Porch Artists, SC and Dairy Hollow, AR. She creates floral art with the Ichiyo School of Ikebana and previously was a Peace Corps teacher in Ghana. Inspired by personal development, family, and the natural world, her writing and designs are found on Instagram @CosimaHomeDecor. Dana Zullo resides in Georgia.