When the Wind Won’t Quit

an overpass. me. heavy coated, hunched. steps quick. collar up. hat down. hands deep in pockets. you. clawed. digging. finding a gap. rush in. me. freezing. wrapping tighter. folding over. resisting. you. push. shove. knock to the side. me. off balance. pausing. searching. you. nowhere. me. breathing. relaxing. letting in the cold and warming.

maybe it’s time for you to go

dinner isn’t ready. it won’t be. the stove is broken, the heating element snapped. there isn’t a clean dish in this house and we’re out of soap anyway. our food has spoiled. each veggie stalk moldy. fruit turned to mush. the bread ready for a penicillin harvest. there’s blood in the freezer, the meat thawed and […]

Come and go

A number of things come and go Illness, pain, tears Laughter, loss, love Some say, “They come when they’re ready and go when it’s time.” Others believe you make it. I say, one cannot be without the other. You work hard make it and it finds you when you’re ready. You struggle hard to release it […]

Lost To Us

A window A screen A light on inside You sitting at the table You reading a book A door A knocker A light on inside You tiptoeing You crouching A sliding glass door A screen A light on inside You on the couch back with your book A forehead resting on the wall A sob […]

A Move to the Woods

I’d like to go for a walk in the woods A forest A grove A riverbank A valley A wet grassland A secluded marsh Along a fallen log I would find a tree and climb it And sit for awhile See the plants The birds The insects The amphibians The mollusks The mammals The reptiles I’d […]

Deny

Creaking floorboards Announce my arrival Flickering lights Announce my intent Empty halls and silence Greet and dismay But I am A willow Bending back But never snapping And A stone Falling fast But never cracking Because I believe

Boxes

Digging through Boxes Yellowing tape Peeled back A clash of swords A twist of pain A slight of hand A ghost of memory Of me Of you Of Us

Set up

Seventh Graders will often use the wrong facial expression / voice inflection / emotion when expressing themselves. When it seems that they should sound happy or sad, they do not. Or, perhaps, they should sound worried or concerned but they are expressionless. This is just something I have noticed while teaching. Please consider the following: […]

Treats

Hey. I got us donuts. Do you want a soda? We should pick up pie. And Pink vanilla wafers Ice cream Bag of powdered donuts Licorice Jerky Caramel macchiato – light ice Oh, and a scone Jelly beans You know … Just a little treat. We need to think about dinner I could go for some Chinese.

Desperate

Out of Control He won’t listen, he won’t clean, he won’t speak, he won’t do anything. He’s indignant. He thinks he should be able to do everything for nothing. He blames. Points his finger. Works to teach a lesson, He can’t know or even understand. He’s little. He’s a kid. He’s terrible. He breaks my […]