1

community garden
uncarved pumpkins
smashed

2

two father ducks
lead their babies
golf-pond water

3

ups and downs
playground ball
deflates

4

in the studio
I relive when Past Me
stuck that landing

5

addressed and stamped
a love letter travels
to the junk drawer

6

rehearsal tracks echo
as I finish
peeing

7

a practicing soprano
sirens down the street
the ambulance

8

the pedal tone
crescendos
climbing up the stairs

9

bristles humming
one note for two minutes
serenading my teeth

10

I live right next to the road
why can't
I hear cars

11

seeing a lake . . .
a ripple touch
shattered glass

12

halloween
schmalloween
I'm hungry

13

“congratulations!”
I grin and bear it
wishing it were me

14

last pill
in the package
        hormonal hell.

15

health nut
he cracks his tooth
on an almond

16

everywhere I look
a reminder
of us

17

mom's arms around
my shoulders
home

18

in the mirror
practicing smiles
eyes still dark

19

savory bagel order 
time to do homework 
in bite-sized pieces 

20

charcoal clouds
forgot my 
umbrella

21

squirrels playing freeze tag 
up the tree
who will win?

22

valedictorian achieved
the brain filled
with gummy worms

23

a roadmap of ingredients
forms
on mom’s apron

24

setting up
the dinner table
one less plate

25

long blonde hair —
she buys scissors, 
a curler, and some dye

26

coffee or tea?
whatever you’ll
drink with me

27

half empty or
half full?
pour some more

28

can’t sleep 
a familiar song 
on repeat

29

dance when no one
is watching 
a two way mirror

30

empty evening 
in the graveyard a bell rings
from the newest grave 

31

orange aural spread
rock of salt
lights my room

32

third row of your funeral
your mother walks in
I break

33

last beams of evening
a record spins
catching the glisten

34

bottom of the laundry basket
your pajama pants
still keep me warm

35

honeymoon phase
reliving the firsts
my alarm goes off

36

middle of rehearsal
static
disrupts my thoughts

37

simple clothes
cross on her neck
back with nana

38

knee-deep 
in snow
I’m not used to this

39

canopy of leaves
crushed
by your footsteps

40

spot light in a dark room
girls huddle up
for the end of a week

41

smile lines
her shadow shining
from the window

42

four best friends
surprise you with . . .
a Christmas card

43

my bones broke
my blood boiled
your touch

44

lavender
you left me in
lavender

45

dropped feathers
circle
the boy

46

dark night 
taking over 
all the thoughts

47

winter snow 
summer beach 
confusion

48

breeze blowing 
as cars wizz by
just one more minute

49

falling leaves 
another year passes 
without you 

50

seeing you grow up
through 
mom’s Facebook

51

familiar dark hallway 
I remember 
the hurtful words

52

a plethora of triangles
build the wall
kaleidoscope vision

53

Costco meat locker
dead or asleep
who knows

54

worn soles
tired tied laces
putting myself in their shoes

55

worming inside
pull the skin over
to keep warm

56

gnarled tree limb
beckoning lost souls
into the mist

57

peppering necrotic skin
the delicate stench
of rot

58

before bedtime
my grandma kisses my grandpa
on her nightstand

59

rain pouring down
washed you away
I am finally clean

60

1+1
should equal two
but where are you?

61

laughter echos 
everyone looks around
her mic was on

62

have to make 
life changing decisions 
Ii’ll call my mom

63

confetti under a couch cushion 
it's been 
8 months

64

no mushrooms yet—
a fallen
tree

65

fingernail snags 
on my favorite sweater 
fuck

66

at odds with nature,
using the bathroom
on a canoe trip

67

boring lecture 
counting the moles 
on her face

68

cartoon adult
sounds of  
a trombone

69

unmade bed
his wrinkled blanket
freshly washed

70

teeth chattering
playing the fuck
out of Tetris

71

someone's cat
but surely not mine
clay paw prints

72

mushrooms on
a rotting tree
the joy of eating one

73

from across the room
the texture
of her sweater

74

wilted in the trash 
he asks why I bother
with flowers

75

maybe her poetry would be better
if she let loose
every once in a while

76

almond cinnamon rolls
fill the room
new wax melt

77

late night hike
a face
in the trees

78

American Girl Doll lookalike
my “fake”
doppelgänger

79

smart guy
finishes his homework
domino effect

80

her shoulders
hunch
as she types into oblivion

81

farting
in front of each other,
isn't that love?

82

chopping off my hair
to trim
who I used to be

83

rose colored glasses
in the driveway
sh  at t er  ed

84

silent roommates
tests tomorrow
click click click

85

21st birthday
asking Google about
anti-aging skincare

86

day break
rolling over
to the empty spot

87

video call with mom 
I tell her
I feel older than I am

88

laughter echos 
from the widow 
a nap interrupted

89

put down last night
the cat
caught her tongue

90

first fall of snow
I concentrate
on the silence

91

what the hell
is that droning noise
the fridge

92

stuck in a silent scream
lick the blood
from her teeth

93

lifeless eyes drift
to the digital clock
another academic alert

94

Thursday mirror
my lipstick
slightly higher in the corners

95

fishing line
silent even when
I feel a bite

96

I left every door open
for you to feel
a breeze

97

fresh cut lawn
sprinklers and giggles
fill the air

98

shallow sigh the closeness of a rising moon