GRIZZLY PEAR
The boy got his second shot.
After dinner, he said he was tired.
But didn’t fall asleep.
At his usual bedtime, we tried an old method.
推车
I pushed him around in an office chair.
Big lazy loops in the kitchen and dining room.
That didn’t work either.
䷚䷂
it furthers one to cross the great water
My wife played Mastermind.
The boy gave the correct clues to guess his code.
At his age, my daughter and I spent hours crafting Candyland variants.
Tomorrow he’ll be her age.
What shall we play?
䷧䷮
if there is no longer anything where one has to go
return brings good fortune
I lost the old file.
So we made it anew.
This time our venue was “The Amazing Animal Hospital”.
We colored the clipart with markers, and admitted the animals before dinner.
The boy mixed math cube medicines.
䷙䷈
the tusk of a gelded boar
good fortune
Over summer, we played Wordle and the New York Times Mini Crossword Puzzle every day.
After connecting the iPad to the big TV, the kids always insisted on testing the sound.
Three videos.
Two slow motion shots of Dora the dog.
Dog-fart and Ger-Beer-Beer.
Then a shaky music video of Bear-Bear.
Then we could start.
䷄䷯
waiting in the meadow
it furthers to abide in what endures
They argue to be first to wash up.
But run into the living room to forestall the inevitable.
Before racing back into the bathroom.
To delay brushing their teeth.
䷢䷔
if one meets with no confidence
one should remain calm
My wife squawked when she discovered that I enjoyed more than my fair share of chocolates from a recent Costco purchase.
The next day he saw me sneaking another snack from the pantry.
He told announced in halting English
Daddy
is
stoo pid!
䷡䷼
power in the toes
continuing brings misfortune
August 13
For school, we set her up with the big TV.
So she won’t stare at the small monitor all day.
Every time we check in, her face is buried in that chromebook.
䷗
to and fro goes the way
He wrapped a bumblebee backpack around his stomach and buzzed around the house.
Bee Belly!
䷏
thunder comes resounding out of the earth
They turned the bed into a pirate ship.
The base of a basketball hoop became their pilot’s wheel.
An Ikea Poang chair became the captain’s deck.
The gangplank was a faux wood sample.
Camping mats were the guardrails.
We hunted for treasure with the crew of stuffed animals.
䷝䷷
the footprints run crisscross
Day One.
Too much screen time.
They didn’t study much.
She didn’t appreciate my occasional check-ins.
Day Two.
䷉䷰
he treads on the tail of the tiger
the tiger bites the man