fifteen years a mom

she wins her day of love, friends

my vivacious queen

booth without their vests

because Friday frenzies rule

and i can’t keep up

start the day with love

even if it breaks your heart

with a school shooting

ice can stop sadness

as easily as it starts

if i let her spin

snow still sticks to streets

yet i sit here, immobile

lost in last night’s flakes

not one powder pic

trapped by grading papers; cats;

and bad parenting

i want these cookies

to sweeten her back five years

when she still loved me:

alas, i’ve lost her

before her fifteenth birthday

to piles of lies

stretched between then, now:

stairs that lead to nowhere, fast.

and words? lost to me.

five a.m. wake up

(even if I’m not skiing

I dream of powder)

not what i planned for:

a day with no planning time

’cause you can’t plan life

bane of existence:

four a.m. door-scratching cat

who tries to be cute

Sunday bribery:

she can visit her boyfriend

if she’ll race me down