a morning discourse
to get me through the last day.
she gives in. i win.
when one of her five
desires the same gender
will she change her mind?
families surround us:
single, married, divorced, set–
love makes children grow
not biology.
(we’ve been friends forever now.
we have climbed mountains).
valleys take their turn.
she will judge, blame, point fingers.
i will love, love, love.
four weeks: iced mocha
from his teacher’s salary
to my starving morn
one more disruption
to make my students argue
(entitlements rule)
his blue-eyed gesture
almost makes the sacrifice
worth the sinking sun
he knows and i know
that he can’t buy my return;
best or not–i’m gone
no blue eyes at home
(from my man or anyone)
on my girls’ faces
nor a mocha bribe
for the heart-winning teacher.
cynic? true. best? yes.
no film, court judges,
observers, department heads
are worth this money
’cause money can’t buy
another summer soon lost
in a blue-eyed search
filmed, nitpicked, observed
teaching methods analyzed
no simple summer
camp frustration lost
with weekend full of lizards
imagined lizard lands
only the oldest
was given this camp present
childhood relived
teaching her sisters
how lizards, mermaids are made
best of all: she PLAYS!
this is what i need
moments of full immersion
you give us so few
carve out each hour
fit in dialogue, writing
is it hard to see?
fish swimming upstream
we flail in your fishing line
unable to breathe
you could set us free
let the stream of words chase us
to our fluency
(it’s not your version,
but success lies in small bites
just give us a taste)
sun sets on weak legs
worn out from the bottom up
urban nature view
battle scars unwashed
floods, fallen trees, tornadoes
nothing but the bike
in the golden light
i pretend it’s one year back
when she still loved creeks
she smiles for me
for this gilded summer pic
to placate my wish
but after? they play,
she lies back in the shade, bored
of being in creeks
no crawdad searches,
no hiding out in the fort–
grown in just a year
but i’ll take the pic,
make it my background; pretend
just like she used to
twenty pounds of fruit
too many carrots to count
unwanted by teens
this bag carries all
sometimes heavy, sometimes light
let’s make us some juice!
road trip car snack solved
puréed, frozen, cooler prepped
break open and serve
(how i miss my girls
away at camp, house too still)
i fill it with plans
one call changes all
fifteen years of wait lifted
our family’s lost weight
