“Match to the fifth.”

– homemade potato soup with vegetable broth, smoked gouda, garlic bread, and crackers. Grilled cheese with mustard and Sweet Baby Ray’s.

– blankets on the couch

– beer & wine

– flannels and blue jeans

– pumpkins

– grading stacks and stacks of papers. data collection for the gradebook.

– reading poetry at night

– watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls and tuning in to watch NFL games on TV (for free, with our antenna)

– watching Bob Dylan play the harmonica, live in concert

OKAY SO THERE’S A NAME FOR THIS

As if Florence and Andrew Hozier Byrne had a grandmother with a vocal prowess far surpassing Allison Krauss or Julie Andrews.

Many thanks to my community college librarian for the tickets. I hope they’re feeling better soon.

“The consequences of sin are often most keenly felt by the innocent.”

~ from a recent sermon at the church, heard live over the airwaves, pertaining to the bombing of the hospital in Gaza.

Watching the Karate Kid and eating pizza.

Currently obsessed with an online (probably very unethical) clothing company called Cider. They sell pretty dresses. In spite of the number of flannels in my closet, I am secretly fond of pretty dresses.

Attending a Loreena McKennitt concert in the city tomorrow.

My sister has turned 21. This happened weeks ago, but we’re partying anyway, even if that means we are partying late.

I’m taking her out to get a beer at a local restaurant and brewery that is about three minutes from my apartment, and just about ten minutes from her trailer park. She is old enough to drink beer now. This is all very exciting and new because she has never had an alcoholic beverage before very recently, definitely not, no ma’am.

Dinner’s on me, anyhow.

We’re getting cali wings dressed in country sweet sauce and fries with gravey and cheese and bacon all over everything. And probably macaroni and cheese, or perhaps potato pancakes. I’m really, really psyched about the cali wings. With blue cheese dressing. This is gonna be so good.

Earlier today I baked the oatmeal chocolate cake recipe which has been in the family for many generations. I may or may not have smuggled over some cake in a Tupperware container and – at the suggestion of Steve Rogers – I also brought a lighter and a birthday candle.

She ought to be here in about five minutes. We’re going to have a good time.

Pal, this time

It is real.

Things my students like.

Koi swimming in a fish tank
Orange leaves falling on the sidewalk
Fire and violence in the middle east
A child graffitis the name of the girl she likes in sharpie on the walls of the school
A room of kids, twelve years old, sitting for their October history exam
Testing to see how much they’ve learned about the world
Anticipating pumpkin pie for dessert
Warm blankets, tea, and a cat at home
My hands shake a little
As the weather turns cold.

If I had known

When I sent you out of class, because

You couldn’t sit still in your seat,

because

you can’t sit in a chair like a normal human being, because

You can’t stop talking to everyone around you

Calling them rude names

Like you’re desperate for everyone to see you

Just to see you

If I had known that your mom was going to pull up to the school

And find me in the hallway

Saying, “I just want to apologize to my daughter. I took care of it,”

And then show me the battered old belt in her hand

I would have just let you be.

Keep writing her name next to yours. Don’t you stop.

It doesn’t matter if we find out what color the walls of the school used to be when the custodial staff scrubbs off the graffiti

Never give up on her.

There are poems I want to sneak into your backpack

When you aren’t looking

I just feel like angry feminist slam poetry with butch lesbian energy would help you so much right now

Especially on the days when your skin is still hurting from the day before.

And if I didn’t know about the way it is at home for you then I might risk it.

Don’t stop writing her name.

Butternut squash

Onion

Garlic

Cumin

Ginger

Coriander

Turmeric

Salt

Olive oil

Coconut milk

Vegetable stock

Lime

~

Roast squash in oven with salt and olive oil for 38 minutes. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in a soup pot. Add spices and stock. Add squash and milk. Simmer for 32 minutes. Add lime. Blend.

~

It was a dark and stormy knight –