Road Trip Ready

packed up and ready
with the bikes fully secured
for our summer trip
a packed-up cooler
electric, adaptable:
symbol of planning
itinerary
revised, rewritten, reread,
printed for Plan Z
(there is no Plan Z)
there is just the dream, the trip
on these four tires

Mt. Elbert for the Win

pushed to her limit,
she managed to meet her peak,
find her inner strength

Trapped

pretty much my life:
trying to find a safe place;
(need help with the door)


But the Shade Tree

with one vacant lot
the clear divide of wealth
(urban devilry)

If Only Vincent Knew

art in real life:
like a dream reimagined
for my artist girls
can you feel petals
(a digital fantasy)
falling on your face?

Versions of Home

summer camp is done.
art, yoga, cycling, love.
and home stretch? cooking.
these so-rare smiles
pouring milk for tortillas
like happy siblings
did you say siblings?
how about our matching twins
with perfect spring rolls?
don’t forget sushi 
made with Chinese expertise
to brighten their eyes
and fufu for all
stirred by girls from two cultures
finding friends at home
these mandazi men
so proud of their puffed product
all the way from home
taco influence
on the next generation
sharing her home’s heart
this sweet quesillo
comes from home with a sweet tale
(we’ve hit a home run)

Cooked

defeat plagues today
even with this sweet mural
sometimes losses win

Only a Few Servings Left

a weak pea harvest
(summer slips through soft moments
between camping; school)
yet the girls giggled 
as they shucked their peas from pods
(no longer my peas)
summer’s soft moments
so fleetingly green and fresh
each year grown harder

Perfectly Fleeting

my pup, lake, camp, board:
seemingly perfect weekend
(calm before the storm)
the weather plagues me
sending wind when there was none
and stealing these views
if i could lift wings,
glide pelican-like, headfirst,
it wouldn’t matter
alas, i must walk
through all the humanoid storms
that we’ve created

Son of Sol

my yellow lupine
has burst into my garden
with soft-petaled joy