13

it has been a long time since
i have cleared the ash
from the bottom of the fire
to place cedar on glowing embers

to save something that has been forgotten
but has not gone out
like you waking up, as
we walk up the stairs

in my room it is still cold
under two blankets and wool sweaters
i can feel warmth
like arms around me

and today my mom asked
if i feel more grown up
-Hannah

Looking through vertical blinds half open
Disrupts the strong December morning sun
Smoke alarms and carols won't awaken
Stirring only after arms wrap me up

Under the sun we still feel the wind's chill
It is too much, the 6 hour divide
I can't hold you enough to weaken it
Holding on tighter than ever, please stay

Drive into glaring sunlight, road floats on
So quiet, the warmth trapped under the glass
We don't speak, looking into blinding rays
Roll down the window, smoke curls slowly rise

Reaching out after a year has passed by
Lonesome for foreign seas and shores and skies
-KM

12

two weekends spent
in each others beds
placed in a pattern
set inside a window

each weekend
is taken over
by sleeping
and somewhere

in the middle
we are waking up
in order to piece together
late minutes of hours

i'm glad
you're here
-Hannah

Steep angles of wood take up so much time
One place to the next, only home to sleep
Paint a fake smile on your face
It will make the money

Behind the scenes we see how false it is
Its their lives, they can keep it, I have no need
Start a job then quit the next day
Can't see me doing it

One man's trash is another man's night out
Trade it for two seats in front of a screen
Ten foot tall black and white flashes
The piano plays

Other people taking your time away
One night to breathe relieves drain from these days
-KM

11

i start to worry
when my mind begins to stray
to other sides of the country
there are so many places.

stand on platforms
and feel my heart move
with the bass drum and banjo.
when i think i know the words to that song,

i worry.
when i make an internal list:
cities, states, houses by the water
a dog, a bunny, field guides, fires

and you know? i'm so young.
i'm still learning how to take care of myself.
-Hannah

Blue satin
Ten minutes
Sliding doors
Backing up

Through doorways
White ceilings
Bamboo shoots
Just waiting

Brown paper
Covers walls
Heat exits
Through windows

Walk against
Winter's wind
-KM

10

in one year i wore my hair back
sat outside with my father
started slowly
dry leaves, thin sticks

things that smoked
caused a signal
a smell that lives
ash that stays

all this
by the dogwood tree
under the back porch
a struggle for it

to survive
to remember
-Hannah



looking through a friend's photographs
people and places I don't know
some now dead, most nearly
(must've been fun)

boxes filled with objects and papers
forgotten, neglected, not needed
sort, discard, pack away what remains
gather dust in a new place

the similar heroes re-appear
why can't we be more like them
running into people from the past
and still haven't done anything

standing on a cold balcony
disconnect the night
-KM