Halloween

Our little dinosaur went trick or treating. It was well below freezing. I love cold weather, but still that’s a lot for a kid. She got tons of loot though.

I have two novels in verse that I’m working on. It is rough going. I am not a novelist, and poetry in such a long format is an interesting challenge for me.

This morning, while I still could, I got a massage. My glutes and shoulders were awful, and I know why.

Our sofa, which is less than a year old, is falling apart. Back rest cushions are saggy. Worst of all, the cushions you sit on are sinking so badly that we list like ships. Right now we have boards under the seats. This can’t go on forever.

Snow Days

Snow is luxurious. I admit it wasn’t fun to drive on when I took Angelica to school today, but I love it nonetheless. Today it will start snowing again and continue to snow through the evening. Halloween will likely be in the single digits for Trick or Treating. That part does suck. Hopefully my little dinosaur will stay warm in that big costume.

The girl who cleans for us was just here, and am so glad she could come before the next snow storm.

Yesterday an adorable bunny found shelter on our front porch by hunkering down next to a column. It gave him a bit of a wind break, a break from being snowed on, and a break from standing on it.

Since school was cancelled yesterday, we had to do instruction at home. I am of the mind that kids should just have fun on snow days, but evidently the school is not. After a few hours of work though she finally got to go sledding with some friends.

I am grateful for these cold, white days.

Big Eye

Makeshift trees
Conceal the emptiness of space.
I am removed from nature’s skin
As crust from an eye.
Too often I have peered
Over my back fence for
A better view

No one should see that much
We are startled giants
With weak hearts

Space rolls over its
Grassy base
There is no room for
A thing that watches
Yet a big eye cleans
The back of the world
With lashes

Family and Friends

Last night my best friend visited from the East Coast. We ate pizza and pie, and played many, many rounds of Apples to Apples. It was so good to see her. Craig was home, and her husband was traveling with her, so we got to have a good time as couples too.

She brought lovely gifts for Angelica, including her very first cross necklace.

It is always good to see your best friend.

This coming weekend we have more visitors. Angelica’s grandparents are coming to visit for the weekend to celebrate Angelica’s 6th birthday. We are looking forward to it.

We just visited my Uncle Jerry recently, so this Fall has been a wonderful season of family and friends. Despite the difficulties I have had for the past few months, I feel blessed.

They Lie

the thing with Mondays
is –
they lie

that eternal weekend
lives in its shell
at a deeper level of
sea than you’ll ever go-

tethered to the busting
waves by an insipid Monday

There is no compassion
in industry.

you will always be desperate
in the tidal pools,
the diving suit you live in
desperate for elsewhere

Friday,
In his flippers and goggles
Does not exist.

The Emperor

The gold thread holding
 Leadership’s hammock
 Is fraying like my personality.
 I put my star-spangled mouth
 On my husband’s face 
 with no aim.
 His breath cascades over my 
 Neck.
 Everyone on our street 
 has a laundry room but me
 Our little girl wears old
 Onesies and roller skates 
 in the shower.
 The emperor has clothes.
 He just doesn’t want us
 to see them.
 like a mathematician
 he subtracts us one by one
 where I go, my husband goes
 his breath locked onto
 my hips.