-
Backpacks
His large head peaked around the door When I was in the bedroom, retrieving stuff from the closet where it was stored I pulled that backpack from the shelf Caught a glimpse in the mirror as I did so I didn’t recognize myself I dusted off that backpack from years ago It still had a
-
The Final 48
It was the final 48 hours Not the search for a missing person Or a list of unbearable burdens She’d been running all year long Waiting all year to get in with that throng Up north, running through the town To conquer the hills, all the ups and downs Nutrition just right Sleep light Ironically
-
Pick a Color
Pick a color That’s what she told me when I walked into the nail studio It’s what the professor said to the chemistry student in the front row The hygienist said it to the kid in the chair at the orthodontist office It’s worse than asking someone to make a wish They say colors should
-
My Neighbor and Me
She was wearing that same sweatshirt And her sweatpants My dog brought her over and they did a dance In my front yard on a Saturday evening My not-too-well-known neighbor started talking And in a moment she was seething We’d never talked much, just said hello in passing But this night it bordered on trespassing
-
Halloween Roll
I was always a good kid growing up One time I said a bad word casually My mom heard And that was enough I’m grateful that in my late teens I moved in the right direction gradually I met some wonderful friends I wished to capture the heart of one of them I got a
-
The Horizon
It was like a pretty post card But live I was in motion, running hard Turning the corner at mile 2.2 The vast Atlantic finally in my view Three miles of boardwalk ahead The warm sun rising Surfers in the waves in October Visitors on the benches Surprising for the A.M. I looked over, delightingI
-
Your Obituary
“What do you want your obituary to say?” My husband asked me this shortly after 5:00 on a Saturday morning. I joked, “I’d want it to please people.” I’m a people pleaser, according to a test I took in a sort-of self-help book. Richard laughed and said he’d want his obituary to convey that he
-
River Adventure
We hopped in the truck for a short drive I was looking for a place for my pup to dive Our neighborhood sits on the river but it seems everyone wants a sliver Big houses line it There are fences at the water’s edge A marshy swamp is at its banks Even in the sun
writings on life
gremlin fodder 