December 31, 2016

New Year’s Eve
these opening chords we welcome
with claps and cheering


December 30, 2016

snow so light
we second-guess ourselves
did we imagine it?


December 29, 2016

amazing how strong
the will to forget can be
I erase a hole




December 28, 2016

snow in the forecast
a chickadee sings close by
but I can’t spot it


December 27, 2016

December 26, 2016

long-awaited sun
the looks on their faces
her favorite present


December 25, 2016

Meetinghouse carols
we silently agree to sing
all of the verses


December 24, 2016

Trump Tower
holiday sidewalk cheer
suddenly in shadow


December 23, 2016

last year’s card
her handwriting
still here with us


December 22, 2016

while I’m gone
she surrenders, adding
one more string of lights


December 21, 2016

Solstice wind
carrying the sound
of the day’s last train




December 20, 2016

December 19, 2016

the first snowball
I tried to bring inside
to show my mom


December 18, 2016

winter tutorial
hot chocolate marshmallows
by the handful


December 17, 2016

December 16, 2016

a tree glowing white
we follow the light like a lure
kisses for breadcrumbs


December 15, 2016

December 14, 2016

powdered sugar
decorating cookies
as snow dusts the lawn




December 13, 2016

near-freezing
water at the lake’s edge
gathering itself


December 12, 2016

the iron heats up
I work to smooth the edge
from my voice


December 11, 2016

cold in the forecast
our neighbor’s homemade ice rink
begins to take shape


December 10, 2016

its back to the wall
defending against winter
red December rose


December 09, 2016

this cold black night
we draw new constellations
with our eyes


December 08, 2016

walking home to you
by the light of the half moon
nearly tomorrow


December 07, 2016

pink sunset clouds
reflected in the sheen
of yesterday’s rain


December 06, 2016

winter rain
filtering all the way through
to summer’s peach trees


December 05, 2016

December 04, 2016

still holding a space
for a roofline long since gone
our one-sided elm

(in honor of the original Friends' schoolhouse at Stonybrook)

December 03, 2016

with nothing to say
we call anyway, listening
to the other breathe


December 02, 2016

fewer leaves
with each passing day
I call my father


December 01, 2016

Thanksgiving onions
my son and I trade tips
on how not to cry


November 30, 2016

junk drawer
just beyond the window
a magpie’s tilted head


November 29, 2016

this all-night rain
switching it up between
lullaby and alarm


November 28, 2016

woolly caterpillar
so much slower to uncurl
the second time


November 27, 2016

since motherhood
all she can see in winter
are heads needing hats




November 26, 2016

like the horses
moving faster on our way
back to the barn


November 25, 2016

we are together
how long we have waited
for each of these nights


November 24, 2016

front yard maple
just big enough this year
to hold up some lights


November 23, 2016

at the edges
of each other’s sight
trading smiles


November 22, 2016

day’s end
only the clock’s ticking
to keep me company


November 21, 2016

saving the soup
the work of not stirring up
the burned bits




November 20, 2016

sub-freezing cold
no matter how we stand
the water finds us


(Thinking about the water protectors at Standing Rock)