maybe one day
I won't change the station
when our song comes on

the velvet night—
a porch swing
rocks in the sea breeze

sunrise temptation
he leaned over
she pushed away

Grandma's chocolate chips
I get to lick
the spoon

days blur by
consumed in work
I forget to live

October sunset
pastel colors swirling
in the tide pools

the shadow of our chairlift
beating us
up the hill

autumn fog. . .
the black crow
perches on the broken fence

morning kiss
from mom to me
memories

down on one knee
     the woman gasps . . .
he ties his shoe

warm oven
           I reach my hand in—
to retrieve fresh cookies

skyscrapers
her feet
tell their own story

You clinched my hand
          we pranced
    to our song

in the shadow
under the willow tree—
a sparrow sings

sunlight shining through
I put on my mask
ready to face the day

college freshman
her mother's voice
on her alarm clock

intimate embrace on the lakeshore
the moon rises to greet them

entangled in him
his blue eyes shine brightly
I forget to hate him

gathered around the fire
caroling
the ugliest sweaters

a collared dead cat
beside the road
no one claims her

after the sorrow
in the garden
I feel your hands

peeling, slicing,
chopping crisp apples
Grandma's kitchen

bonfire
blazing amber in the black night. . .
one empty metal chair

SUNNY side up
lies in the hospital
cancer sucks

her dog
at the gravesite
chin on his paws

FANNNNCYYYY
blessed with a diamond
a bride to be . . .

ran into a lady
with memory loss
just keep swimming . . .

the minister
looking over my head
while shaking my hand

Divorce . . .
    cricket . . .
   angel

leaving the doctor's office
my daughter
squealing for the last lollipop

monkey bars
kids enjoying life
a child is left behind

kids begging their mothers
to stay . . .
first day of school jitters

since I scolded them
the crows hate me
they don't forget

violence in America
a boy . . .
lives to tell his story

summer love
summer fling
only real for one

below zero—
the sound of ice cracking
in the night

the angel—
stone and unable to move
dreams flying

always Mom
she puts on her glasses
to talk on the phone

gunshots ringing . . .
mother cries
calls for help

bonfire
memories brought to life
for small ears

squirming
out of the jar . . .
I'm hooked

swinging legs
over a saddle
Giddyup

her little dress
touches the ground
to pick up a yellow dandelion

underneath it all
strength is what I found
         thank you

still pond
expectant mother
collects thoughts

batter up
at the chain-linked fence
dad's smile

tears in her eyes
she catches her son
stumbling home again

Sunday
she sings to many . . .
heard by Him

graduation day
tassel sways
left   to   right

quick grocery store trip
wearing no makeup. . .
class reunion

floating away
the longing to be in the air
wings clipped

face in toilet     what happened to just one
  

it takes everything in me to channel that into you
  

the booster seat child
waits patiently
Grandmother's wave

I look up to the sky
stars shining back at me
you are the brightest

corner desk
stubbed toe—
                OUCH!

my black pants fit
until . . .
I breathe out

reluctantly
the mask is removed
gasping is heard

her eyes open
with the sun
she's above the clouds

candlelight
illuminates the den
tea for two

matching
hats, plates, napkins
another year older

sheets cover the ground
the small prints
disappear at the fence

fork in the road
weary traveler
and everything but time

that evening
we danced
the sleeveless black dress

each night
she calls her cat
then leaves her garage door ajar

in the fresh snow
a lonely set of footprints
continue with no end

empty nest,
hatchlings sweet call
ease the distance