How the Turns Have Tabled

Livia told me that free verse is bad poetry, and I tried to persuade her to the contrary. This was a strange argument for me to have, because just a few years ago I would have agreed with her. Now I find myself arguing in favor of the same style of poetry I once despised. Life surprises.
Later, she and I were chatting about something else that had completely changed, and she started to say “How the tables have turned” but she caught herself halfway through and said instead, “How the turns have tabled.” “Whew!” I replied. “For a minute I thought you were going to say it the wrong way!” We had a good chuckle over that.
On a more serious note, reversals happen all the time. It’s important to learn how to live with change and disappointment, and to laugh at them where we can. I recently had to absorb some bad news. An occurrence I’d long anticipated, and which had finally appeared on the horizon, will unfortunately not be happening any time soon. Something’s gone wrong, and others will have to sort it out. So I settle in for another long wait, and life goes on. At least I have two great kids and a husband to crack me up every day.