Glass Child

come with me she says, but I decline because I've been told coddling keeps the child in the cradle you're old enough to go alone but the figure she cuts when she's turned and walking away head hung, looking at the ground is as stinging to the conscience as a February wind to the eyes my daughter, now turned to go alone slender...

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Fire Child

we found a boy to make our own who lacked and desired and needed and burned a special boy into whom we infused our particular kind of healing waters needed to extinguish the fires of an infancy set and fanned by others "he'll be good for us?" she asked me, lying in bed "yes" "he'll need work?" (more a statement than not) "yes" "he needs us; to help him." (more a plea...

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The Old Man

i've been dreaming lately of an old man  that i'm sure is me in a future that i seem to fear sitting on a bench, in one example in some park, looking inward while casting a gaze out for something lost i know it's me now that i think of it because i recognize the sting of a clenched heart after a love has been wrenched violently from it the way...

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A Discussion Among Boys on a Beach

"the water is high," my son said to his two friends and a debate among boys on a beach was begun "yeah, but not to god" the first boy-friend replied. his name, jackson "yeah. the water wouldn't even be up to here to god" said the second. his name, nicholas "yeah, unless he was six years old" said my son to them, a proposal "yeah, but he would still be a giant" said nicholas, arguing "yeah" said jackson "god IS huge" said my son with surrender...

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