Clothes Line

 

Michigan

1971, age five

   The wet sheets flapped and ballooned in a light breeze. The kind of cool breeze you longed for on hot summer afternoons like that. I ran my small sun browned hand across the chill dampness of the bright white sheets. The fresh coolness felt so good. I walked into the sheet and felt it pull over my face and hair. I let it drag across my dusty arms. I lifted my long hair and felt the refreshing coolness slide over my hot neck as I walked under the clothes line again.

   It wasn’t long before I noticed that the sheets were no longer bright white. They were smudged and streaked. I looked at my tanned arms. They were clean and moist. I was  horrified at what I had done to my mother’s hard work. I took a quick glance at the kitchen window and the back porch expecting to see her standing there with her hands on her hips. She wasn’t. I turned and walked toward the woods.

   It didn’t take long for my conscience to send me back home and into my mom’s arms while I cried out my confession. And she still loved me.

 

Vintage

 Tonight the sun 

makes everything

look vintage.

He Went to the Woods

He wanted to write

so he went

to the woods.

A Kiss

Words wilt

on my orange lips

and I mistook

your smile

   for a kiss.

Outside Living

 The weather is warming up and

we have supper on the porch

whenever we can.

 The boys played catch 

with the football.

 The grass is green

and the evening sun

is golden.

 Jesse does a head stand

in the yard.

 It is so good to have them both home

 for a little while.

 

On the porch in the evening sun.

The gentler season is almost here.

We are ready for outside living.

Another Road Trip

Ready to head south.

 The boys had a little time off work 

so they packed their backpacks

and headed out.

They made it all the way down to Kentucky-

365 miles from home.

They got rained on

but luckily they had

a bit of warmer weather

and the nights weren't too cold.

They take only a little food and money
(almost all their money goes on school loans)

but they always seem to do okay.

They are home safe now

and heading back to work.

A sign they made to ask for rides.

I don't like these trips.

I worry about them

and I miss them

but I am getting better at it.

Thank you for your stories 

of how your children wandered 

and came home safe. 

It does make it easier for me.

 

I'm glad to have them back.

Weather

We open

up the windows

and listen

to the rain.

The weather 

changes

as we watch.

Now sun shines

unrestrained.