she’s there
but I can’t
hear her
I can only see her
she comes to me
in dreams
we travel
climb stairs
sit at tables
drinking coffee
in B&Bs
holding presence
Holding Presence
Death Scream
outside at 10 pm
with the dogs
a death cry fight
came from the
woods 50
yards out
we all froze
stood motionless
paralyzed with fear
already mourning
something
something fought
something died
in the woods
we think it was
an owl attacking
another feral cat
the terror of the
forest at night
is every fairy tale
illustration of the
dark side that
traumatized childhood
into needing
another glass of water
our woods are
where we live
and sleep
stuck in the pages
of no happily
ever after for
our wildlife
after YouTube
church we’ll take
the tractor to
the crime scene
we, the detectives
of the dark forest
Circus Peanut Shoes
circus peanut shoes
with razzle-dazzle sparklies
outside the school gym
waiting by the mailbox
maybe tomorrow
maybe tomorrow is the day
the day the letter will come
come in the mail to me
to me, letting me know
know that everything
everything will be okay
Woodland Critter Friends
I have a secret
sewing project for a new
sweet baby grandson
Piddling
we piddled together through the mart
antiques, novelties, glove sizers
didn’t buy a single thing
except lunch — (we bought that)
fly in her water
didn’t keep it
sent it back
ordered
wine
Morning Games
I see his figure
peeking around the sage chair
looking right at me
acting non-chalant
resting briefly to lick paws
he stretches out, yawns
as if he does not
have a burning agenda
playing me a fool
his ball rests nearby
then a thump of his black tail
and a sudden pounce
an invitation
to an early-morning game
that I can’t resist
Prayer Chamber
I think prayers take a
little travel time sometimes
so I pray pre-prayers
thanking the Good Lord
for His miracles I may
never know He worked
like avoided wrecks
and family protections
like health and safety
I wasn’t surprised
when my son called to tell me
his life had been spared
my morning commute
is my daily prayer chamber
no radio, news
I pray by name for
God’s will for all my loved ones
and I watch God work
Fitz and the Vent
Fitz
Fitz and the Vent
’twas a mystery
that the floor vent was missing
gone; vanished; not there
I asked who stole it
Who would steal a vent? he quipped
I thought we had ghosts
our dog naps on it
in the summer to stay cool
but a Schnoodle thief?
how would he take it?
it’s heavy ~ and he has no
fingers to raise it
why would he want it?
still, my husband checked the bed
it was underneath
we both scratched our heads
he retrieved the vent, replaced
it in his closet
and then we heard it
bumping against the wood floors
when we checked, we saw
Fitz’s collar tag
was caught in the metal slats
as he dragged it out
one mystery solved:
we removed his collar tags
unchained his anchor
camping pets
Camping families
more than half of us have pets
(One official stat)
Common Threads 