guest post #2 - [apple]crumble.

Her dad had been sick for a while. It seemed like a long while. Was it only for the past five months that she had been travelling to see him three times a week? But those 20 hours a week seemed such a big commitment – packing up lunches and the kids and arranging for dinner when she was away from home. For a while she had felt trapped. Why couldn’t they just put him in a nursing home and have them take care of him? Why did her mother want him to be cared for at home? That meant rearranging life.

This time when she visited and asked him how he was doing, he told her a story. She could see by his earnestness that it was important to him. He really wanted to tell her about what he had done earlier in the week.

“I went to see the doctor.”

“How did that go?”

“There was water.”

“What water, where?”

“Outside.”

“Oh, a lake?”

“And animals.”

“What animals were they?”

“They were…..there. They were by the water. They were in a group. They…”

“Were they geese?”

“They were together..”

“Were they ducks?”

“They were...”

He stumbled for the right words. He had never had this kind of difficulty telling a story before. He was frustrated…It bothered him that he couldn’t tell her what he had seen.

She was puzzled…and sad. She had known he wasn’t doing well. Perhaps for the first time, she wondered for how much longer he would be with her.

She tried to pick a new topic; something that they could talk about without him feeling bad.

“Dad, it’s Valentine’s Day today. I baked some brownies that I brought over to share. The girls helped me make them.”

He nodded, not comforted really. He knew something still wasn’t right and he remembered he couldn’t speak what was on his mind.

She knew, too. They sat together and watched TV.

An hour passed…or was it two? It was time for her to get ready to go…but wasn’t there some way she could connect before she left?

“I love you, Dad.” She couldn’t remember saying that to him before.

He paused, looked up and said, “I love you too.” She didn’t remember hearing those words before.



After all, it was Valentine’s Day.

                        - Equinox

sisters.

They hadn’t stayed long in the kitchen when it was time to put things away. Seeing the plates and silverware, Chloe promptly sighed. She felt overwhelmed with the work she still had left to do. Out loud, she hastily asked, “Do you mind if I go upstairs?”

Bethany and Tiffany were obliging. While they too had work to do, they felt no inclination of doing it. Their work could wait, they figured. They stood up, easily stacking the dishes and closing the lids of the jam and peanut butter jars. Glancing at each other, both wondered who would wash the dishes.

“I can wash,” volunteered Tiffany. She wasn’t exactly eager, but like always, if something was expected of her, she would do it willingly.

Seeing the chance of a competition, little sister Bethany quickly picked up the sponge. “Not if I get to it first,” she silently remarked. She began wiping the plates and forks, while Tiffany cleared the dishrack. They had made a happy compromise. Tiffany started singing.

“This is the song that never ends… it goes on and on my friends…”

Bethany joined in, “Some people started singing it not knowing what it was…”

“And they’ll continue singing it forever just because!” Laughing, they both were thankful for the fun times they could have.

ocean.

Oh sorrow, i think you are my self
i call my tears my ocean, my home
No. Sorrow gave me order of exile
but i will break it

My ocean’s answer
is salt of tears like my tears
My ocean is where i swim
but beams of sunlight float

Floating on sun over ocean is heaven
Swimming in exile is earth
Weeping while hoping in light
(that dries all tears) is home

keep running.

why give in now?
when you you've made it so far?
why give in now?
when you can feel the hand of God in the damp air?

why give in now?
when the lush spring flowers beckon you to smile
and you don't know what else you could ask for?
why give in now?
the end is not yet in sight
but hope assures us of things not seen.
so keep running.
keep running.

c_t.

She climbs onto the sheets
Deep, unfathomable
Eyes gaze across the room
At plushies and teddies.

Shaking off the summer's heat
She settles, finding a dent
In the impenetrable
Comforter.  Eyes close slowly.

Ruffling in the wind
Her fur won't lie flat
How, her ears wonder,
Will she sleep?  A bit.

untidy.

{in which two girls both have something to learn.}

"Janice," Mom called up the stairs. "Have you cleaned your room yet?"

Emma, her twin sister, was quick to answer. "No, she hasn't, Mom. I've done my half already."

Reaching the top of the stairs, Mom saw a room, cluttered with dresses, jeans, a bottle of perfume, barbie dolls, candy wrappers, school notebooks, lunch bags, and an empty cup. The drawers of the dresser were pulled out, their contents spilling over onto the pile of items lying on the floor.

"Aunt Susie is coming over, girls. She'll take you to the amusement park if you can find the tickets she gave you for your birthday."

Janice scowled. "I don't want to go," she said with a grimace.

"No, that's because you don't know where your ticket is," Emma sharply retorted.

"Emma..." Mom gave her a warning glance.

"Alright, fine. I'll help you look. Maybe together we can get through this mess."

Mom smiled. "I'll let Aunt Susie know that you girls need a little more time. Once you've got your room cleaned up, I'm sure you'll be ready to go."

under the pavement.

My head is two feet lower than the ceiling
the ceiling two feet higher than my head
My fingers glaze the metal grating
the grating which I pinch to keep my stead
The train is rolling and is screeching
screeching and jostling at union square
The standing strangers are exchanging
exchanging places as they squeeze to exit there
I'm checked-out, weary, and I'm wasting
wasting minutes in the mindless rush of transit
Aware and independent and enveloped
enveloped in the city, as one who stands it

window.

Open.  Close.
Slip.  Slap.
Whoosh.  Bang.

The door drops.  Dramatically.

Icicles form and decay.  Inside, the fairies grin and spin tall tales.  Perhaps one day, they too will know the meaning of delight.

On.  Off.
Up.  Down.
Click.  Clack.

Pulse.

π.

I asked Bluebird: Have you seen π?

Bluebird chirped: Too-whee, twee twee twee!
and flew away.

I asked Squirrel: Have you seen π?

Squirrel chattered: Brrrrrip, brip, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch!
and scrambled higher in his tree.

I asked Deer: Have you seen π?

Deer snorted: Bhrrrrrrumph!
and switched its white tail in my face.

I asked Daddy: Have you seen π?

Daddy smiled: There it is, on the dinner table - Mommy's homemade apple π!

home.

If I lived in a massive library

I would study by the light of the lamps,

Explore the stacks of books tenaciously,

Or cuddle up on the sofas to read.

I would pull out my pencils and paper

Ready to take notes or write to my best

Or peruse my textbook and its author

Drinking in the glorious quietness.

But silence would drain me after a while,

“Is anyone here? Does anyone care?”

I slowly realize I’m only a child -

I can’t go for long without someone there.

                Today I am thankful for family

                The people I live with who care for me.