cherry tree
we pause in its shade
first kiss

sleep in my eyes
I open them
to a smiling face

morning sun
a mother’s kiss
on the forehead

broken car heater
my eyes spot
streams of light through grey skies

the reptile house—
auntie shudders
dragging me away

my visible breath…
the metal blades glide
across the frozen pond

rain on the window
nestled in the warmth
between mom and dad

moonlit bedroom
little girls chatter
from their sleeping bags

thunderstorm
his snores
are louder

crystal wind chime
in grandma’s hospital window
a feeble goodbye kiss

little hands
catch and release
the lightening bugs

careful tip-toe
from plank to plank…
Squeak!

clear night sky
fireflies illuminate
my parents’ smiling faces

summer night
firefly feet
tickle my palm

warpaint
across my brother's cheeks
firefly guts

finished with a carrot nose
hot cocoa
defrosts my hands

two couches
facing each other
talk

fixing the red bow in my hair
while the old man sings off-key
Sunday morning

children play
on the bus—
I pout alone

father and daughter dance
in the living room—
guitar music

on hand and knees
with a bucket and brush
our time

cold afternoon
chapped hands cradle
a cup of tea

books surround me
sighing deeply
I begin to write

the chameleon
eyes a hawk and
turns to rock

stomach churning
down the hall
the hygienist calls my name

icy path
the child walks
shivering

eyes on the drum major
frozen fingers
refuse to cooperate

searching for beauty
I find mangled tulip stems—
rabbits

buttering pancakes
alone in the kitchen
remembering childhood

whipping winds
we traipse through deep snow—
a quest for pizza

still now…
belly rises and falls
before the storm

watching mom
dust the dough
can I help

chopping onions
mom asks
about Democrats

doing algebra
clock strikes five
garage door opens

homework on the table
I listen for mom
coming through the door

stifled giggles
best friends
whisper secrets in the dark

sleepover
best friends
watching the rain

outside a blizzard…
blankets held high
into the fort

back porch
young girls giggle
amidst falling rain

Dad’s tickle
brings the morning
too soon

yelp of pain
fiddler crab
scurrying away

lioness napping in her cage
fingerprints
smudging the glass…

rain strikes the window
her fingers bring out
the sweet piano melody

chatting teeth—
frozen engine moves slowly
from cold to warm

dewdrop lilies
rain on the reeds
looking up to the stars

jiggle the key
nothing happens
frozen engine

sterile, white room
paper-thin gown
against a cold steel table

bitter cold
gloveless hands
inside my pockets

gorilla hands
press the glass
my hand raises

first day of school
mother waves goodbye
from the bus stop

sandy feet rock
this front porch swing
orange to purple sky