empty space
at the dinner table—
a flower without its petals
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
One Other Scene from Summer Camp
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged dinner, flower, missing, mother, parent, poem, poetry on July 26, 2017| Leave a Comment »
When I Get Up to Leave My Daughter at Bedtime
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged aging, bedtime, daughter, love, mother, poem, poetry on July 26, 2017| 2 Comments »
Don’t stop, she says,
and grabs my hand
and pulls it again
to her back. She
rakes it across
her skin and urges the nails
deeper in to scratch
some invisible itch
that she can’t reach herself.
In the thin light of vespers,
her face is more shadow
than shape. Still,
as my hand grazes
her skin, I make out
the place where her brow begins,
the jut of her nose, her angle of chin,
and she is no longer
nine years old, but some
timeless version of herself—
maybe thirty, or sixty,
or eighty-four, some year
when I am no longer
near to scratch
the unreachable spot.
The thought of it
makes me linger longer
than I normally do—
until her breathing changes,
until she is nine again,
her body curling
into her blanket,
her hand opening
into sleep.
.
On the Day When You Are Too Busy
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged busy, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer, poem, poetry, skylark, song on July 25, 2017| 2 Comments »
for all the busy people
that’s when I hope you remember
the skylark, not so much the bird,
though that, too—how it sings
even while being chased by hunters,
though it increases its chances
of being caught.
But more, I hope you will think
of Johnny Mercer who struggled
a year to write the words
to the tune by Hoagy Carmichael.
By the time he finished Skylark,
Carmichael had forgotten
all about the song.
Sometimes, it takes a long,
long time before the words
come out right. Sometimes,
the moment just isn’t ripe. Sometimes
there’s just too much to do.
But perhaps amidst the meetings
and the plans, a snatch of song
will come to you, something
that won’t be ignored.
Perhaps between the papers
and the rush, you will feel it,
winging. Perhaps, as you fly off
toward the always what’s next,
you won’t stop yourself
from singing.
What Sustains Us
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged cleanliness, heart, mess, poem, poetry, self help on July 23, 2017| 3 Comments »
… one sector of the self can step in for another in trouble
—Kay Ryan, “Why We Must Struggle”
Because the heart is a mess
I mop the floors. And shake
the rugs. And find homes
for all the knick knacks
and papers that clutter
the shelves. And when
the heart is still a mess,
I scour sinks. Then wipe
the mirrors. Hours go by.
The drawers are straightened.
Sheets and towels refolded.
Even the piano keys
are not sticky any more.
The filter in the fish tank
is scrubbed and changed.
But what does the heart care
for cleanliness? It walks
across the polished room
in its muddiest shoes
leaving gravel on the floors.
Shoves all the pillows off the couch
to make a cozier spot
for fussing, then spreads its troubles
across the counters
where they more easily
can be seen. Organizing the lot
is beyond me, but
I notice how,
between those muddled troubles,
the counters gleam.
Gotcha, Said the Fear
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged confidence, fear, poem, poetry on July 20, 2017| 4 Comments »
Oh yeah, I say,
ha.
I let you
sneak up on me.
I knew you were there.
I chose to wear this coat
of goose bumps
so you couldn’t guess
just how strong
I feel,
how fine.
Oh yeah, says the fear,
too scared to confess
you’re not as brave
as other people
think you are?
Oh yeah,
say the goosebumps,
speaking for themselves,
Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
There Shouldn’t Be Any More Poems About Rainbows, But
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged hope, poem, poetry, rainbow on July 20, 2017| Leave a Comment »
double rainbow to the east—
I stand in the rain and watch
as its colors deepen—
something small inside me
grows brighter, bright enough
One Agreement
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged acceptance, poem, poetry, why on July 20, 2017| Leave a Comment »
