GRIZZLY PEAR
Mama cut the ears of corn.
Gave us two pieces each.
He pulled out two chopsticks from the drawer,
For himself and his big sister,
I inserted the bamboo into the soft cob.
Corn on a stick!
He waved his yellow lollipop at me,
I inserted the back of the chopstick into his second piece.
He raised the golden barbell and announced,
I’m a strong guy!
䷯䷜
to
drink
out of a
clean well
shared
joy
A lizard sunned on a tree stump.
With a bright blue chin.
It ran away, then stopped.
Flashing pushups, it watched my withdrawal.
Spaceship walk!
He climbed onto my back for a better view of the lake.
As I put him down, he grabbed my collar and whispered,
Actually, I don’t want to walk anymore.
As we walked towards the pond,
A duck flew in to join two companions.
Quack.
Quack! Quack!
Quack.
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!
Quack!
It flew away.
A jackrabbit froze on gravel road.
It darted of when the kids clomped down the hill.
We told you to stop!
But he started first!
We saw a propane grill on a pickup truck.
Someone people are better at partying,
Even at a State park,
Especially at a State park.
䷏䷀
Family moments
gather like a
Hairpin.
the Sun
sets behind
a mountain Ranch
Two kids and a remodel,
Still together,
A big anniversary.
(Another quiet day)
I worked at the office.
Rushed to the community center.
The girl checked out a theater class.
(The boy quickly lost interest)
Crossed the street,
Passed through a skate park,
The four of us ran around.
(Inside the bowl)
At the playground,
He swung slowly,
She crossed the monkey bars.
(I did a couple pull-ups)
Heading home,
Watched teens at the skate park.
Backflips on scooters!
(Dangerous)
She cooked a late dinner.
Penne and sauce,
Sardines, cucumbers, onions, and artichoke hearts.
(I stole most of a celebratory soda)
The kids pressured mom,
“Make a cake!”
Too late.
(9:00)
They ran off,
I cleared the table,
Celebrated again.
(We split a surreptitious popsicle)
We outlasted:
The reception venue (Firefly now Nacho Daddy)
The wedding venue (Bonnie Springs, demolished)
The rehearsal dinner venue (HK Star and its many replacements)
Nothing is guaranteed,
I’m grateful things have worked out.
On to the next decade.
(Hoping for more quiet days)
He told momma,
I found it on the “process shelf“.
What’s the “process shelf”?
He pointed at the bathroom countertop.
Let’s start the process at 8:30.
It’s 10 o’clock! How come we haven’t started the process yet?
OK, time to wash up and brush your teeth!
Now that they’re older,
Going to bed isn’t a battle.
But it’s still a process.
If we let them.
They’d drag it out
Process,
All night long,
䷓䷴
witness
after
gloaming
before
somnolence
ablutions
Claire!
Claire!
Who’s Claire?
Oh wait!
She’s your imaginary friend, right?
No! She’s our imaginary little sister!
…
Charles!
Charles!
Who’s Charles?
He’s our imaginary baby brother!
Really?
When did he join the family?
Last week?
No! He’s been with us for a year!
.
.
.
An hour later, I asked my wife if she had met Claire and Charles.
What are you talking about?!
䷺䷓
apostolic sea
auspicious foam
ambitious dissolve
Cat!
Moon!
Gingerbread Man!
He’ll play Spot It!
But only as a team with his sister.
So I flounder, one man chasing four sharp eyes.
When she was small, I’d slow down,
Looking for two pairs while she only needed one.
Even then, those were easy wins.
Now, I can’t keep up.
They double me up.
~
I didn’t have preconceptions about parenting.
Except boardgaming.
Start ’em young and they’ll love it.
Nope.
They enjoy the occasional play, but that’s it.
Two bookshelves of games hibernate in the garage.
Maybe as teenagers?
One can hope!
But it’s not for me to determine.
Staying at the in-laws,
Digging into the closet,
She finds momma’s old shoes.
Shiny taupe flats with half inch heels,
Clomp, clomp, clomp!
Marching on the tile.
Her feet are still small,
But the ankles fill the throats;
Last year’s gap is gone.
䷑䷝
cross great water
before three days
after three days
twin flames
你再下来就没有snacks!
(Come down (from the table) again, then no snacks!)
Poo-poo!
(he just came back from trying to poop, unsuccessfully)
真的? 这次没有大便也没有snacks!
(Really? If you don’t poo this time, then no snacks!)
Oh! 我说了 acc-i-dent-a-ly.
(Oh! I said it accidentally.)
One minus One is Zero!
One minus One is Zero!
One minus One is Zero!
He’s been watching Numberblocks
The next day, he exclaimed
One minus Two is Zero!
Momma sat him down to explain negative numbers.
He spent dinner enthralled in this new realm of arithmetic.
Three minus Five is Negative Two!
One minus a Hundred is Negative Ninety-Nine!
His sister chimed in
Negative Two minus Negative Five is Three!
The girl was an awful sleeper as a baby.
This lullaby emerged over hours of trying to walk her to sleep.
小宝宝去睡觉
(little precious, go to sleep)
It never worked.
Not for her.
Not for him.
It just riles them up.
So I sing it at every opportunity.
Last year, I transcribed it into Flat.io so you can now hear it as a round, because I doubt I’ll ever convince anyone in the family to sing along with me.