sometimes the night's lights
are only in the sunset
(not the soccer game)

sometimes the night's lights
are only in the sunset
(not the soccer game)
blue sky Saturday
with winter branches hugging
the first day of spring
winter sunrise strokes
as soft as with a paintbrush
with red glow on snow
power lines define
the hidden energy here
ready to rise up
a long-shadowed pup
feels tall in the morning light
ready for the day
will the sign survive?
will Snowpocalypse happen?
or are we all flakes?
these pink winter lines
like angel’s wings each morning
welcoming the day
that Denver skyline
always bright, ready to burst
these broken bubbles
aurora’s fire
brings day of recovery
from Christmas chaos
ice-cold Tuesday night
(ice skating on a weeknight?)
icing on the cake
we must stay outside
we must wear masks, be cautious
we must learn to live
all out of the house?
all the teens out together?
all the miracles
the boy taught himself
the boy had never skated
my boy taught himself
a night of sirens
gives way to a pink sunrise
and everyone’s well
Almost a year ago, we invited this boy home for Christmas because he was living in a youth shelter.
We brought him downtown to see this beautiful tree.
And what a year it has been. Challenging in more ways than we ever thought imaginable, and all of us adjusting to this new life of having a brother and a son in the midst of a pandemic.
Here we are, standing under these same lights. And aren’t they still beautiful?