letters from my sons

dear mommy,

now that i'm six, i know that i want to run through

the waves in my spider man shoes. i don't care if

they still light up. i'm sure.

love, j.

dear mommy,

thank you for carrying me around the grocery store tonight.

four is the bestest number, but you made me feel

like your baby again. i like that.

love, b.

dear mommy,

in both my years, i've never met anyone i'd rather

look at than you. turn around! i want to kiss you!

please, mommy?

love, j.

(i wrote them to remind myself)

more love letters

highwire

single-file-row-on-row-stock-straight-hanging-tight-strung-to-a-pole

light flickers on, door opens

floor creaks under heavy load

break rank

tangle

scatter

flail

fly

dive

clatter

grasp ankle

oh, alright!

you can be the one to hang my new dress.

He comes

jostled awake,

wiping noses and

meeting teachers and

licking envelopes and

piling laundry and

stirring suppers and...

lonely for the girl,

rolling chalk between fingers,

i do not find the self portrait that i wanted.

i cry out,

"come to me,"

and He comes to me wrapped in

these little ones

and cries through them,

"love Me."

like sand

we play

in waves

and are small

like grains of sand

under swirling tide

of noonday sun

so bright

Your light

the thoughts

You think toward us

like grains of sand

they give us life

make us warm

and we smile

we play

in waves

and are small

come play

mother's touch

the cool-smooth of tile under throbbing feet

the rumble of dishwasher caressing hands that hang down

the sweet dew of brow atop cartooned pillowcases

the mumble of love, the kiss of neck

this is a mother's touch,

my love

this is my life (for dan)

i hung with a librarian today;

she proctored my exam.

i took my mom out for lunch today;

i'll never stop owing her.

dialogued with the Artist of the Year; a philospher-king student-professor...

did you know modern-day medical students are taking Ritalin?

talked with a convicted felon today;

he's a pretty good guy *.

listened to a few maniacs today;

boy, do they have a lot to say.

my best buddy ** was hungry;

he ate one of the burgers my wife made.

my other best buddy feels sad;

he's borrowing my bike for the night.

cleaned an apartment with, golfed the links with,

fell asleep tucking in each of my boys.

kissed my wife today;

watched a movie on the couch together.

Blogger offered me three sign-in options:

"male", "female" or "other".

this is my life.

* here's another pretty good guy

** he's the convicted felon