2020 ends
in the same way it began
(with downhill skiing)
2020 ends
nearly every way different
than a year ago
2020 brings
a balance of sorrow, joy
hidden behind masks
2020 ends
with screens controlling our lives
(searching for meaning)
2021
with its 5-syllable self
will bring us new hope
rolled in this meringue:
apples, mascarpone cream,
burnt honey. ’20.
baked in this Roulade:
my student’s home-raised hen eggs
ready to be whipped
folded in this bake:
some precious moments of peace
so hard sought, well earned
masked in this meringue:
a year of bittersweet loss
melted into joy
he’s no idea
what he’s got himself into
with these crazy girls
cookies are cookies.
we will cut, bake, decorate.
’cause it’s what we do.
arms, metal, ginger:
what is a holiday scent?
molasses. that’s it.
and soft-spun sugar
ready to perfect Christmas
with gingerbread sweets.
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?
dear Daddy: i’m here.
pay attention to me, please.
(love you more than food)
my little artist
(not so little anymore)
always new designs
creating Christmas
from the tree to ornaments
all hand-made with love
Vamos a ganar
with this American map
he knows nothing of
every moment counts
and he has read my soul here
with these three small words
these fleeting moments
shared with a stencil of love
between my daughters
working for love
(sometimes it doesn’t pay back)
but we always try
all i need today:
my cooperative puppy
who just bit me once
because of the bone
i bribed him to sit still
he is now a Jedi
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