The Woman Who Does Tai Chi on Elm Road

I am

The Woman who does Tai Chi on

Elm Road, the fair

Lady who weaves the shuttle, and strums the guitar; and gracefully

Repulses the

Monkey while cars

Dance by, drivers driving to distraction — ears

Lips to cells, then a momentary stare from SUVs at

This woman who does Tai Chi, mornings

On Elm Road as she stops a

neighbor walking by, his thumb pointing up calling

“Tai Chi — good —

good.” and

The voice of my teacher in my mind reminds me to

Embrace the tiger and return

Him to the mountain and I do

On Elm Road.

Joan Goldstein is a sociologist, poet, and host/producer of Princeton TV30’s “Back Story with Joan Goldstein.”