"Listen"
By Shelly Ruchti
Listen to me mommy
Listen to my fears
Listen to my hopes and dreams,
The reasons for my tears.
Be still for just a moment
When I rush to you, so near
And whisper thoughts and questions
Into your bended ear
Do you hear me mommy?
My tiny voice so clear
Listen with your eyes, and heart
Your soul, and yes your ears
If you listen mommy,
Not just my voice you'll hear,
But answers to life's questions
For which you've searched for years
"A poem inspired by my children."
* * * * * * * * * *
"doing our best"
By Tonya McKenna Trabant
with two days left in the calendar year,
it's our night to make dinner for the entire, extended family
it's been a long one:
the kids growing, burying the dog back by the pear tree
our new screen doors that don't slam
and that fabulous day trip with Andrew and Elyse
plus the three weddings and two divorces
and of course the new therapist who sees everyone
and tonight we're offering our signature burritos,
our kitchen talents and our open and grateful hearts
and, still, it's been a long one
so we look at each other, eyes steady
as one of us slips that newly improved guac recipe
out of the recipe pile on my brother's counter
presses it silently into quarters
and sticks it deeply into the other's pocket
"I am a willingly displaced Alaskan currently living in rural Wisconsin with my partner, our two near-perfect offspring, some small fish, and eight chickens."
