Raynette Eitel
2011 National Senior Poet Laureate ($500)

Raynette Eitel, 74, of Las Vegas is a retired school counselor who is ever on the lookout for rainbows to go with rain. She describes herself as a people lover who finds life both funny and tragic. She has three self-published books of poetry with XLibris: Harsh Country, Earthen Jar and Preludes to an Allelujah Chord (Christmas poems). Besides writing, she loves reading, cooking and travel. Raynette has three daughters and seven grandchildren. Her sun sign is Aries

AT THE IRISH PUB

"A Typical Irish Pub - Fado in Washington DC"

A Guinness at the Irish pub
was born of black, rich earth
and dark thoughts left over
from starvation
from famine
from watching loved ones waste away.

But the Celtic music
came from fragments of sunshine
scattered among shadows,
from laughter splattered with tears
from unmitigated joy curling
like a river around grass so green
as to dazzle the eyes.

The old pub held happiness in light hands,
squeezed sorrows tightly
until tears salted the beer
and still the music played,
drinks flowed with conversation
and nights at the pub became
the froth of memories worn
like a white mustache after an ale.