You rushed in, toppled me over- a fast-paced tide taking out a beach umbrella   I was drowning, breathless, full of adrenaline fighting to stay alive, struggling to keep my head above it all   Just as quickly as you appeared, you were gone.  …

We hid from the big kids, ducking down into secret pockets of green, guarded by alder, cedar and Douglas fir.   Thrush, flycatcher, robins sang to us fancy free, the Downy, Harry and Pileated knocking up the trees.   We waded into the edges of…

She hails from holy order time forgot Sworn to uphold code with honor wrought With sorcerous song to heal sad and sickly And send wicked to caves of ice thickly Warrior monks fighting for futile balance In a musical world doomed to silence So heroes…

There is a scent of memory, triggering disjointed visions.   The tin bucket holding rocks or wood pieces. Our versions of bologna sandwiches with discount Mayo.   The three-legged wooden table … A red-checkered cloth … There was always a dented, silver coffee pot left…

small hands stacking chips counting cautiously to twenty-one nothing to risk bragging rights to gain the warrior girls kicking skirts taking names on the playground baked asphalt glowing black in the sun pitter patter heartbeats and faded sneakers charging over to join the game

I would sit on a wooden bar stool in the doorway to the small office at the back of the little donut shop I worked at in high school the doorjamb, perfect for leaning in boredom, or sleepiness as I awaited fresh customers seeking coffee,…

How It Starts It starts by dimming the lights, breathing picks up pace, his body holds me tight, while hands caress my face.   Breathing picks up pace. Sweat trickles my brow, while hands caress my face. Silence, except the cat’s meow.   Sweat trickles…

Wear wedding dress to launderette, strip off to petticoat, ask to wash wedding dress in machines of heart broken customers, but offer to buy washing powder to be polite, wash til white dress is dirty grey. Take divorce photo with anyone who happens to be…

    Park Lane East   Steve called me sophomore year in college and asked if I wanted to lifeguard with him the coming summer even though I had no training. Soon after I was shooshing Timmy as he said, “He’s not Steve,” to the…