lucky

five stalks of bamboo
a number 9 jersey
the last petal pulled, “he loves me”
three shooting stars in a row
working together that summer

furlough

Manitoba meant Falcon Lake
enjoying cousins and Grandma’s pies
while hating mosquitoes and the flatness
that continued on into Sasketchewan

Sasketchewan meant Dad’s college roommate
reading our books in the back seat past endless canola fields
ignoring the admonition to, “look out the window, kids!”
on the way to Alberta

Alberta meant Three Hills
Lacombe, Red Deer and Calgary in quick succession
before the adventure of the Rockies
took us to B.C.

B.C. meant the Tompkins
drinking pink lemonade and sleeping out under the stars
being spoiled by another set of grandparents
before it was time to fly home

late afternoon

the hum of rain
seeps through the cracks
in the window frame

4:30 at the end of February
feels isolated and uncertain
seeds waiting in the ground

only sometimes does the wind
rustle through the downpour
touching branches lightly

stirred for a moment
the trees fall quickly
back to silence

the streetlights will wake up soon
in the meantime
it is not quite spring

bread

sometimes lunch was just perfect
Mom’s whole-wheat buns
fat, round, homemade shapes with a slice of gouda
and crunchy cornichons carved very thin
over the layer of sweet, unsalted butter

faspa was always the best part of family gatherings
our Mennonite heritage spelled out in rollkuchen and watermelon
platters of cheese accompanying the jars of jam
with fresh white dinner rolls still warm from the oven

birthday breakfasts meant brezel from the bakery
soft, chewy dough eaten plain or fancy
cream cheese with blackberry jam
chewed very slowly to make every bite last

this daily bread
still better than a banquet

losing forever

O God, what have I witnessed?

violent suffering of love
bent double with the weight
of twenty-five years marriage

terrible endurance of hope
maybe these dissonant sobs
will still turn to laughter

there are only tears here
here in the depths of our humanity