Berries

The guy next to me
at this breakfast joint
just said to his date
in a Jack Nicholson voice
that I think is really the way this guy talks
"looks to me like you're not a fan of berries." 
If he sees what
I'm typing
I'm a dead man.

milestone

My daughter finally reached the age where she slept in so long on a Saturday, I teased her with the old “oh wow, I forgot I had a second child” bit. Much more importantly, I finally reached the age where I amused myself by delivering said tease. Woohoo!

Outrageous

overalls are rocking out country-style tonight.
That outrageous fiddle, the toe-tapping
outrageous lady singer and Brother Jeremiah with
his bass and jaunty
fresh-brimmed derby.
You are all outrageously dressed up like
Depression era folks tonight.
Except so much
cleaner.

Just for fun

Sam wanted to bob for apples on Halloween “just for fun.” Which was a relief, because I know there are some people who bob for apples competitively, and others who bob for apples professionally. And I’m just not ready for him to make either of those leaps.

Dreamful swimming, it’s the first

wriggle of morning thought.
Something to hold on to. To pull him out. Sharp. He bites–
Hold on! Hold on!
Tight jaw, reeling in,
line stretching, water shake. There’s a
bend and a swing.
with the whole scene
swirling past too fast then he’s
flopped over and
down onto the plankety
board bottom of the shiver boat.
Standing above himself now.
Wide awake.
Cold.