3 weeks with nick

where we lived
in rural indiana
proved to be
a dangerous place
for nick
the fellow who kept
his horses in our stable
fancied exotic animals
he had a large exotic rooster
one day it attacked nick
it scratched him on his face
he came running with blood
on his cheeks
this was the last time
we saw that rooster
next week nick was riding
on our wheelhorse tractor
with his father
it somehow rolled over
and landed on nicks head
pinning him down
dad somehow
picked up the tractor
and nick ran to the house
I was on the phone
with our doctors wife
I took one look at him
and knew something was wrong
I brushed his hair back
his forehead was purple
the doctors wife called
her husband and told him
what had happened
we met him at his office
a concussion
next week
I set a cup of my hot coffee
on the kitchen table
in those days a cup and saucer
nick came running
put his hands quickly on the table
catching the edge of the saucer
flipping the hot coffee into his face
I ran to get ice in a cold towel
put it on his face and he said
mom I can't see
I paniced but said
why can't you see nick
he said because you have
the towel over my face
we treated the burns

marbles and hair

when the kids were small
I didn't leave them often
a few times I left all three
with their father
things didn't always go well
one time Nick found his limit
and cut sarahs hair
another time
sarah swallowed a marble
when I got home
they had that
don't tell mom
look on their faces
they were hiding something
no one wanted to tell me
we usually laughed it away

marbles and hair

the go mode

Sarah was always
in the go mode
at four years old
she would come down
the stairs
completely dressed
in atleast
three different outfits
she had been told
we will go tomorrow
her words were
is this today?
which meant
is this the day
we go

be gentle

be gentle
like first light
sunset newborn
quiet steps
mark the way
alone silence
peace in place
baskets of joy
levers to pull
fingertip love
clearly slow
sweeping dusk
to night

mom

74 years ago
my first breath
was with my mom
my memory tells me
she was always
with me and still is
she made those about her
feel good
she was Gods gift to me
he said learn receive
she was not afraid
to let go to love
not a selfish bone
in her body
at 88 she took
her last breath
when it became mine

Daniels View

five year old daniel
loved to fly in the big planes
returning with mom and dad
sister sarah and brother nick
from looking at ranches
on the snake river in idaho
he was wide awake as we were
coming in for a landing
in south bend indiana
he was looking out the plane window
at a sky full of stars
he looked over at me and said
mom we must be up really high
I said why is that daniel
he said because there are stars
above us and below us