behind closed curtains
every American dream
stays hidden from view
what my students see:
cold-shouldered isolation
as their new welcome
(i walk home to lights
brightening the welcome mat
for all who enter)
poetry
Uncovered Territory
your statement blocks me
as cold as this ground cover:
fighting against spring
i want the blossoms
from the newly-planted trees
to save me from this,
to float on a breeze
of similar desires
that could bring us home
(not this gray fabric
stunting all life from below,
constipated spring).
i want soft petals,
lilting with the seasoned wind,
ready to escape.
Take a Bite
faith is found in food
connecting cultures, caring:
life’s love remedy
Coup d’Etat
who is this traitor
sitting in my mother’s chair
where we were once queens?
Checking Off
we could predict life
by list banalities
that make up our days
I Thought the West Was Left
never thought i’d hear
Ivanka in the west wing–
demagogue ruler
Game of Thrones
queens of the castle
reign over new recliner
cause cats run the show
Climate Reality
summer has arrived
and is melting all the snow
stealing our winter
Recovery
Percocet nightmare
worse than any surgery
(pain outruns nausea)
Shards
an afternoon wind
blew in a flurry of texts
and opened this door–
it knocked down a glass
from our dishwasher-less rack
(because all things break)
it sent me spinning
on my endless carpool trip
(keeping up with kids)
the sun was shining
on my student-made pastry,
unaware of shards.
i swept up pieces,
circled back to get daughter
and wash more dishes.
baklava melted
like rays of afternoon sun
in each of our mouths
(a reminder that
gusts of wind, circling drives
are just shards of days)
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