Passing the Test

with some practice

some dedication and humility,

with passion and perseverence

it's possible to pass the test,

not just barely but with flying colors,

with 92% approval, with a smile

I passed the test

I hugged my mestre

and bounced up and down 

and texted my family

and emailed my friends

and am writing this post.

I passed the test, having gone

from struggling on the ground,

to standing up to kicking up to 

the sky.

it feels good.

The bounty of a single tomato

Heirloom tomato:  1 lb 8 oz, organic,

priced at $5/pound buys enough seeds

for the squash and tomatoes, the tomatillos

and cucumbers.

That's one tomato and we've already eaten

many pounds of squash and tomatoes,

of lemon cucumbers and green cucumbers,

of turnips and peas, of Swiss chard and 

don't forget the many pounds of potatoes 

still hidden under the soil.

When snow is still drifting to the ground

and lettuce seeds sit under a fine layer of

wet soil, remember the bounty of the late

summer where the price of a single tomato,

not purchased, but pulled warm from the vine

saves enough to buy all the seeds you need.

Go for it

all five of them tottered on the edge

not venturing to jump off for the first five countdowns

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

only leaning forward without launching

until finally

finally one jumped, 

then another

and another,

the little girl with the ponytail jumped last,

her delicate feet disappearing into the swirl

of the cool water, her smile popping up from

underneath,

she waved at me.

i missed it with my camera

but her smile is imprinted onto

my memory.

this is my home

this is my home,

dry and warm, there is no water

running along the floorboards,

I am not perched on a table

helplessly watching water stream by,

watching the levels rise knowing I have 

no where to go, no way to get anywhere,

that I am here amidst millions

isolated in our own homes

without a boat.

My sisters and brothers are huddled

in their waterlogged homes, holding children

and dogs, a warm blanket, waiting and 

watching,

and I am here in my cozy home watching

Game of Thrones,

I can only be aware of the

unfairness of the world.

I can only hope they find

relief,

and soon.

turnip harvest

turnips never grew in my garden plot
across the street, no amount of fertilizer,
compost, water, love...
would produce a single small turnip.
I held small hopes for my new garden
but put the seeds in the ground in Spring
and forgot about them, enjoying
sauteed greens all summer long
until I looked.
Turnips, huge ones, pressing against
each other, rising from the soil like
breaching whales.
turnips may never have grown across
the street no matter what, but feeling the
weight of huge turnips with their
attendent greens makes me happy,
finally happy.

Young Dancers

a moment ago, they were giggling 

in a random swarm of legs and arms,

the flash of braces and bling,

of wealth and privilege.

and then

bodies aligned and sprang forward and

up in harmony, in perfect discipline

in beauty.

I will read this to you when you are older

you, my grandchild, are not yet born,

in fact, only a twinkle in the eye of some future

parents, not even married,

yet I think of sitting here with you on my knee,

we'll look at pictures drawn long ago and 

words in a language your parents do not 

understand, stories of flying angels and white

clouds billowing over rocky shores.

I will point out words like "chat" and 

"chien" noting the importance of cats

and dogs in the world, but also "maman"

et "papa" for the two most important people

in your world.

I hope to be the third.

One day.