Juggling without gravity

There’s levity
in gravity—
toss
       and
              catch,
toss
       and
              catch—
happy rhythm.


                                                              return.
                                                        of
                                            promise
                                       no
                               with
                         up
                   fly
            balls
      now
But


I dig down
pockets deep
in search of hidden orbs,
and look up
magic sleeves
for scarves of endless hope.

---

This round we are posting about our frustrations in our writing/illustration careers. I am having trouble holding steady when much is shifting and beyond my control. The rules of gravity seem to be changing. I completed an author/illustrator project only to have the publisher (Tricycle) killed and the book remain unpublished. I delivered interior artwork for another book, yet half a year later still wait for everyone to sign off on the jacket. This book has been postponed. On a third author/illustrator project, I delivered information my editor requested more than four months ago. The book was supposed to be done in July, but the editor has been busy and I’m afraid this project will also be postponed. These are a mere three examples among others. I’ve eagerly thrown ball after ball in the air but they just aren’t coming back. I’m discouraged.