The Sisterhood

She thought herself better because they’d been together for decades. That illusion now fades. They’d “live free or die,” having believed the Big Lie, then die he did. Now, heaven forbid, she must play the hand dealt, she how her cruelty felt. Welcome, sister dear! You’ve become what you most fear.

Uvalde’s Children

I’m sorry I cannot cryfor you. I’ve tried, but the tears won’t come. Each of you another oneof those acceptable lossesthat fearful men embracebecause they refuse to face their selfish cruelty. If only we dared annihilate all this hate,could we have changed your fate?As I write these wordsthe tired old arguments heardafter every mass shooting […]

Dear Molly…

My dear, sweet girl, we are quickly approaching the time when we will say good-bye to one another. Hard to believe we’ve lived together for six months; it seems like only yesterday I met the rescue group representative at their vet clinic to pick you up and bring you home. You were scared, but that […]

Grieving

Last Monday two people were struck and killed by a train here in town as they walked down the tracks. According to surveillance video, neither attempted to move out of the way despite the train’s repeated warning signals. Those two have been on my mind all week, so I decided to write about them. This […]

Making Memories

My dad died. I’ve been trying to make sense of things since I got the news. Our relationship was…. complicated, and I don’t want to talk about that here. Death makes me think of a clean cut with a sharp knife that removes a limb, but not the phantom sensations. My father is no longer […]