Dad and I haven’t talked in years,
at least not about stuff that matters.
And the last time we laughed
together? I really can’t remember.
I want
us to be close again. We were
when I was young. Then, I guess,
I made him into “the enemy,”
the one who said no to giving me
money (for weed) or borrowing
the car (to party). What I forgot was
his love.
GOD, I’M MAUDLIN TODAY
Must be all the obvious Christmas cheer,
and how it doesn’t cheer me. Mom has
always been big on making the house
look Good Housekeeping gorgeous.
Electric trains. Ceramic villages.
Multicolored garland and lights,
strung on banisters and door jambs.
The tree, a twelve-foot blue spruce,
is hung with ornaments collected for
almost forty years. Wreaths. Poinsettias,
in four shades and varied heights.
Candles in holiday colors, scented
cranberry and bayberry and vanilla.
And outside? Colored lights and white
icicle lights and a giant lit Santa’s sleigh.
You can see this place clear across
the valley. When I was a kid, I loved