(but then, there arose such a clatter)/ upstairs neighbor/ vacuums, furniture moves / a general bang- bang banging/her dog barks, my cat meows/ (lively and quick) I get up from my (long winter’s nap)/ feed him, and (in a twinkling) jump back (snug in my bed)/ play games on the phone/ no dancing sugar plums/ I forage Facebook / Max / Celeste’s dog has died/ 21 dog years, 147 human ones/ new loss to grieve/ every minute/ one less to live/
I walk a good long time/ the remedy for grief is walk/ dodge duck-doo/ serenade the Spoonbill in the pond/paparazzi the flowering thyme and the Rose of Sharon blooms/ The life span of a female mosquito is 42-56 days/ the lifespan of a male mosquito is 10 days/ It’s December/ there are no mosquitoes/ It’s snowing in Pittsburgh, however/
I take my lunch to a nearby beach/ the remedy for lunch is the beach/ I position my chair for maximum warmth/ alone/ I pleasure in teeth, how they grind, tear, and pulverize/ the water in the sun/ wait/ there are sugar plums dancing/ I / let you go/ again/ could not hold onto/ you/ a burning Phoenix/ got weary of making love to ashes/ I was in love with you/before we made love/ I am still in love with you/ but I had to let you go/ you’ll never know/ just / how much/ let love break my branches/ one by one/ O Christmas tree, O Christmas/ I can’t stop loving you/ but I have to let you go/ lost love is still/ love/
