Thing One

Before daybreak today
I heard their nervous flutter-breaths
The false adages
For, they knew — they always knew
Today I would abandon them
To save myself

Awakening
To fears, that wished I’d believe I was late
Or not good enough to show up in the first place
Back-talking
To Lies, that tried to infiltrate my wake-up thoughts
Would I recognize today was mine to do with as I pleased?

The gods allowed me sleep yester-eve’
The calendar delivered colors this morn’
Thus, my green eyes
Beheld true-blue skies
And animals came to instruct me
Before daybreak today

Nonplussed

Were I to sit down once again on that bronze-y parquet floor
Recalling bare-legged me
Relishing the coming summer sunset warming the scene

Floor-to-ceiling picture windows

My minion, watching monkey-business on the idiot box
Constant companions, we
T-shirt and shorts, the two of us
The uniform of the discarded

I would smile this time

I understood and understand still
Your ill-behavior, your abandonment
Warranted silence
I could say no more

I’d polish my toenails
That same multicolored glitter gloss
Plotting my goodbye

Knowing you won’t care

Yes Goddesses

With prophetic vision
All the women
In the family
Mothers and daughters
Cousins and nieces
With pets present
Met in unison
Tethered their souls
Gathered their wisdom
Shared bad meals
Cried then laughed
Rolled up sleeves
Studied the data
Examined their hearts
Consulted with God
Exhaled a “Yes”
Cleaned the mess
Moved some mountains
Saved the world
Then slept soundly

Shadowboxing

In the evening, I sat out, well beyond 8:58

The front porch shadows shielded me 

That I might pretend

My bedtime hadn’t come and gone

The smile in my telephone-voice wasn’t masking a mom’s tortured heart 

Acceptance would come and those few miles away, would prove okay, someday

Hood ornaments on passing trucks did in no way devastate

This wasn’t the calm before the storm

The temperature wouldn’t dare drop, degree by degree, with each sip of my sleepy-time tea 

The gardens weren’t soon going to hell

My choice to survive hadn’t offended my God

Tomorrow, no one would know 

First Of All

I am not God
But I know a truth
So I will say what

Let us recreate Woman
What the divine image!
Be she blessed

Let us grant her dominion
See these creatures
In need of a fruitful goddess

Let us know her abundance
Let us call her good
Let us rest

wife of his youth

Do you remember, before you were born, child, how I was sad a lot, for I, back then, was always the other?

While he, in utmost civil tongue, talked and laughed hard with others and shouted and murdered and silenced the me

I talked to you, “It is okay.” and God would keep us and we three would always, always, always have eachother

God danced with us and I with you when no one else would dance with me…there was always and always another

Mother Road

What is the name of that road? The spirit and purpose of it? The one we approach, day in and day out, without hesitation?

Familiar with the smell of it, the distractions, attractions and tourist traps along the way, but unsure, in the dark, where to turn when it’s time, finally time, for a rest stop.

Trust, we must, the touch. The feel of our wheels we were gifted, from The Road of all roads, The Mother.