a puppy
new life
in a cold house

sunny day
little paw prints
up my windshield

white rat
wheezing and sneezing
I shall call you sniffles

training wheels
the ant bed
isn’t spared

top quarter champion

TOP half Champion

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

Poptropica—
laughter as we
forget how to play

smoke circles
talking in circles
small giggles

peach wine
stovetop s’mores
a night with friends

bottoms up
Dixieland Delight
ROLL TIDE!

TOP half champion

CHAMPION

xxxxx
 

BOTTOM half champion

lilypads
a ballerino
leaps . . . splash!

a drop in
the ocean
flip the coin

are you in or
out
garlic bread

heads or
tails?
Betty White

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

phone dings
i throw it
out the window

bright window
I haven’t
made my bed

fairy lights
they look better
in the evening

rosé in hand
sunbeams making
the bubbles dance

no love
no one
can ever hurt you

permanent guard
I let in
No one

the warmth
of his love . . .
won’t last forever

fools . . .
get out
while you can

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

glimmer of hope
lost . . .
in the child’s eyes

blank TV screen
my reflection
stares back

Snow White
frozen in time
rigor mortis

i will plant a garden
in the plot that was
meant for you

TOP half champion

CHAMPION

xxxxx

BOTTOM half champion

house divided
no tools on his belt
can repair the damage

depression spell—
floors littered with
laundry and old dishes

shaking
how did I not notice?
I'm an addict.

when did I
become my father?
the bottle thuds

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

graduation day
I’ll never see
these people again

a tisket,
a tasket,
missed the bus

Buddy’s last day
we drop him off
at the vet

on a blade of grass
early morning dew
slides down

rumbling
the upstairs neighbors
two large dogs

raindrops
drip drop down
the fogged window

yellow rainboots
streetlights
highlighting rain

laying in the grass
sound of steps
on a college campus

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

homework grind
no one talks
ACHOO!

silence is peaceful
candles lit
homework time

candle flickers
doors open wide
spring cleaning

forgotten
dirty brushes in
murky water

TOP half champion

CHAMPION

xxxxx

BOTTOM half champion

her fate is woven
in a basketweave
she cannot control

cross ring
changing colors
still a perfect fit

a pillow
each
I have one more

stitches
shaping and forming
the squishmellow

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

xxxxx

bottom quarter champion

remember freshman year?
O yeah, gross
I finally peaked!

high school accomplishments
framed and glistening
above his bed

glare on his glasses
he sits across from me
and grins

a striking couple
we glide across the ballroom
violin music swells