before my eyes
amaryllis plant blooms
first dream in the new year
my neighbor's wind chimes
welcome in the new year —
on another street
someone plays their saxophone
Georgia On My Mind
so low
the yew tree
after the snow
thoughts of an asymmetrical haircut
tipping my head
to the left
swerving into the
Kosher Foods aisle
Grandma, I am thinking of you
my neighbor's sheets
huge prayer flags in their side yard
crows hover
we pass on the street
her aging face
I remember when she was born
she reminds me
of someone I once knew —
I must remember that she is new
morning walk:
decomposing snowman —
barefoot girl in a summer frock
the crows — her departure
the crows — her return
clothesline
a plain white sheet —
my neighbor is lonely
January morning
waiting for you —
peonies
midnight loneliness
drip drip drip drip drip
icicles
strawberries
always remind me of you —
the way you offered them
in that blue bowl
the first time we met
spider
I'm happy to share the bathroom with you
this cold night
alone
in the snow —
morning crow
dear moon
I think I saw you
shivering tonight
shoveling snow
under the full moon —
my neighbors seem friendlier
going through our changes
you and I
and the moon, too
heron
fishing for the moon
one long cold evening
sweeping snow —
the broom loses strands of straw —
what do I lose?
for 22 years
I never looked up —
when I did
I found you,
dear moon
plastic plant
on the side of the road
yes, it feels the cold
snow —
just snow —
now here comes a crow
first its shadow
then the crow
swooping low
lazy day
watching icicles melt
nothing more
curious crow
eyeing my grocery bag
I watch you watching me
the way a mountain moves —
that's what I mean by
"slow kissing"
Flirtatious Moon
there you are
playing footsie with the stars
Rejuvenating Moon
when I feel old and tired
I look for you
Veiled Moon
alas — I don't yet understand
the language of eyes
Sneezy Moon
for you, an origami rose
made from a tissue —
Gesundheit!
Bewitching Moon
the window shades refused
to shut you out last night
Snowy Day Moon
so lucky —
nobody expects you to shovel
Whispering Moon
come a little closer
I don't want to miss a word
Valentine Moon
a warm red glow
your way of sending roses —
merci
Carnival Moon
I tried to warn you
about the roller coaster
3 a.m. Moon
you and I
awake, together —
come down and snuggle
March Moon
as your heart opens
the birds return
===
A friend from the old neighborhood —
I call it "the old country" —
reminds me of what it was like, our childhoods
living under the same roof with dozens of other families
each behind its own apartment door
the connecting walls so thin
you'd hear a stranger sneeze
how safe it felt
how dangerous
anonymous togetherness
the collective inhale/exhale
the way we avoided eye contact in the elevator
