On reading "The Diary of Anne Frank"

 

I am reminded of

the many things I take

for granted.

I have soap and water,

as much as I like,

I have books and outside

sources of information and entertainment.

I have communication.

I have windows

to look out any time I want.

I have room to move, to walk, to drive, to breathe.

I have community and

I have privacy.                                             

And I also have

a warning.

Back Off, Microsoft

AI

I don’t want a copilot

when I write

ever.

You can

clean my house,

wash my clothes

maybe even do my taxes.

But do not “help” me

when I write.

While I will gladly

(though guardedly) 

take suggestion after,

while I write

its just me,

my thoughts

and my feelings.

So go away

AI                                                                    

On the Way to Somewhere Else

 

Today 23 years ago my mom died.

I was with her,

so was dad and

maybe Uncle Jerry.

But why was Jerry there,

and not Aunt Kathryn? 

 

Did he just stop by on the way

to somewhere else,

or from somewhere else?

 

And then it was Mom’s turn

to be on the way

to somewhere else

 

The end was

a big inspiration

and a final expiration

Then only her body

was left.

 

In a Doctor Who show,

of all things,

someone said of their deceased father

“He’s not gone, he’s just dead.”

There is something beautiful about that,

not in the oooooh – ghost sense,

but that the memories

of our loved ones

keep them with us,

always.                              

I Weep for America

 

We have a monster as a leader

a bigot,

a fascist,

a misogynist

 

We have a denier of truth

of kindness,

of right,

of love

 

We have a daily firefight,

a catastrophe,

a calamity,

a circus

 

But worst that than

we have more than half of the people,

our friends,

our neighbors,

our countrymen,

who think this is alright

 

 

Darkness

Eclipse – day becomes night

nature goes silent

people stand in

 wonder

 

this darkness

has the power to stop us,

make us consider forces beyond

 

We are reminded

we are part of something

greater

than our society,

our technology

 

In the dark we are one

Sandy

Happy Birthday Sandy,

my best friend from little on…

We were inseparable,

until sometime in middle school.

We broke apart.

But we came back together again,

like one of those broken bowls

with the gold in the cracks

put back together

stronger than before.

But the bowl of our friendship

was hurled down again,

by circumstance

more than anger or will.

And as we tried to glue us back together

you flung sharp, hurtful arrows,

at me.  You had no

respect for my life and choices.

Did you know how that would hurt?

Did you know I could never

trust you or

be comfortable with

you again?

The pottery of our friendship

has broken in too many places;

it cannot be fixed. 

We will be cordial,

we will be civil,

we will be pleasant,

but we will never again be close

as we once were.                                                       146

 

Family

Family - pride and love and conflict,

a stew of all these flavors

and so many more

all steeped in unspoken resentment

through lifetimes and

generations

Babies born too soon,

or raised by grandparents,

that uncle who was always

a little…funny

Some joking, some drinking,

some ethnic slurs

The older generation a little racist

and the younger one

a little insufferable

and in the middle

pressure from both sides

but what can you do?

After all,

it’s family.                                                     76