“Hey Lucy, where’s Mama?” Richard asked when he got home from work. “Don’t bug Mama,” the little girl told her father as he hung up his coat. “She gots a dandy lion, and it’s makin’ her crabby.” A dandy lion? He frowned. Then it hit him what she meant. Dandelions littered their front lawn, and his wife, Maggie, was probably irritated that he hadn’t put down the weed killer as he’d promised over a week ago. “Did you pick s...

We built a life upon this earth Filled with love and ceaseless mirth Each day brought never-ending laughter Sweet thoughts of happily ever after. We worked so hard and made our plan To travel far across this land But as the time did gather near Those dreams began to disappear Oh, so subtle at the start Were little things that hurt my heart My words unheard, perhaps ignored No matter how much I implored. We had forever, or...

The summer of 1975 provided hot, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings in Detroit. Having a pool in our backyard meant late-night swims so we could go to bed and let the box fan in the window blow air on our wet hair, helping to cool us off enough to sleep. That was my parents’ idea of air conditioning. I never minded the heat. As hot as it was, it was nothing compared to the humid, tropical weather I experienced on my many...

The giant blades of the turbines cut through the air almost silently despite their looming, ominous presence. Katarina stared out the window at them as she drove along Highway 402. This stretch of the road seemed to be littered with futuristic-looking windmills. Kat could swear they had doubled in number since the last time she’d driven on this road. Then again, it had been nearly four years since she’d last traveled acro...

There’s a kitten in the corner In my bathroom, by the shower He’s the cutest little fella Sitting near the big gorilla And the rabbits make my day As they turn and hop away Through the grasses and the trees Just as happy as they please And the church just down the street Looks like something that should tweet While the pepper, cut in half, Is enjoying a great laugh But my husband rolls his eyes Which is really no surprise...

What if I stopped being annoyed when people don’t follow the rules? What if I didn’t feel compelled to comment when a conversation didn’t include me? What if I just turned up the volume on the television or radio when the speed demon toddler starts to race back and forth over my head? What if I didn’t interrupt my husband while he was telling a story to correct the details? What if I didn’t feel resentment toward a few si...

The heat was staggering as she climbed the steps to the third level of the ferry that would take her to the island. Relief came as a cool breeze off the water once the vessel started moving. Freedom was across this lake; the closer she got, the sweeter it tasted. Allowing herself a full week of joy had its price. But he would touch and taste her until she was completely sated while taking what he needed. She made this tre...

As the morning alarm sounds and the automatic blinds open, I rise from the couch and stretch. I started in the bed, curled up next to the woman who feeds and cares for me, but she moves around at night. So, at some point, like most nights, I moved to the comfort of my own space. She smiles at me as she rises, bids me good morning, and offers me breakfast. Of course, it’s the same meal as the day before and the day before...

When I was a little girl, I lived in silent fear of losing my mother the way she lost hers. That fear became excessive when I reached the age of seven, the same age she was when her mother fell down the basement stairs and hit her head. I watched Mama like a hawk, terrified that she would meet the same fate. I offered to go to the basement to get whatever she needed to the point of making a pest of myself. Finally, she go...

I’ve been burned before My giving nature taken for granted My friendship chewed up and spit out My heart poked with holes So, I’ve treaded more lightly this time around Perhaps wiser than before? Cautious about how much to give Holding back some of myself Maybe more than I should You reached out and were kind But I felt vulnerable, still Till you gave me a new hope And a shield to protect myself From those who would hurt...

Sitting with the soft, white sand covering my toes, While the warm breeze tousles my fiery red hair Dozens of beachgoers mill all around me With their umbrellas and chairs and suntan oils. Still, it feels incredibly quiet As the seagulls fly around, The pelicans gracefully glide, And the dolphins swim and play. No sounds penetrate my mind For I am mesmerized by the vision of you Your dark hair with a smattering of gray Ou...

You look at me and flash a grin And suddenly, I’m taken in Your mouth speaks not, but eyes say much You’re longing for my gentle touch The sound of laughter fills the air But all you do is stand and stare You cannot think of words to say But still, you take my breath away Those eyes, like windows to your soul Tell thoughts you simply can’t control They seek response from my own eyes And tell of love you can’t disguise The...

A shiver crept up my spine as we walked into the haunted graveyard. Although it was broad daylight, there was something existentially eerie about walking amongst the dead remains in concrete tombs. We had come to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but after enjoying the festive Krewe of Zulu parade earlier that morning, I’d gotten sucked into the tour after visiting Voodoo Authentica on Dumaine Street. “Come on,” my friend, Dian...

Relegated to passenger status as my love prefers to take the wheel, I peer out my window and gaze upon the clouds. They always have some fascinating story to tell. Some days I see bunnies and bears frolicking about in the sky. But sometimes, the clouds tell a more ominous tale as my imagination takes over. The Dragon’s Tail is an ongoing narrative that began years ago when I was a little girl, lying on the front lawn on a...

Walking along an abandoned beach I feel the cool grains of white sand, They seem to melt beneath my feet. I watch the ice-cold, rippling water Slowly wash away the shore. Bits of shells roll back and forth As the tide rushes in and out again. From time to time, the seagulls cry out, As if to say, “This is our home!” The sun shines yellow with a touch of red, But still is not yet overhead. The birds make faint shadows on t...