My journal of big words and pretty pictures
Iona watched her sister-in-law, Tess, through the kitchen window as she brewed their tea. The other woman was on the screened-in porch, wrapped in a quilt and reading a book. It was cold enough this late in October, that occasionally Tess’ breath rose in tiny white puffs. The two had spent the past two days … Continue reading Sisters-in-law
He had nothing of his own, but he preferred it that way. With no valuable belongings, Jackson could go wherever the mood took him. That kept him from being obligated to anyone but himself. Money wasn’t a problem. Jackson would sleep in public parks, find miscellaneous work here and there for food, and if walking … Continue reading This heart’s for you
Grey clouds take over the sun, plunging the city into a premature night. Streetlights flutter on, like reluctant children being rudely awaken. Hunched on a park bench, I watch moths surrendering to the flames, and flinch with each crackle and sizzle. If I stand on tip-toe, balancing on the back of the seat, I can … Continue reading Moth to the flame
Approaching the gate crossing, the train’s whistle blasted out a warning. Cargo crates, some stacked two deep, creaked as the trailers rumbled along the tracks. The locomotive’s headlamps, dim from layers of grime and oil, cast out little light into the darkening day. The train’s gentle rocking sometimes mollified the merchandise stored in the crates, … Continue reading Night train
From the road, the house appears abandoned. Parasitic vines run rampant over the once manicured lawn. Shrubbery has gone feral, their wandering branches attacking the crumbling siding, worming their way under the slats and prying them away from the cinder block walls. The front door stands open, as if the old woman is still home, waiting for … Continue reading Cleaning day
“You know I love you.” It is exhausting sometimes to love someone who always needs validation and constant reassurance. “Prove it.” There was that lost, little boy smile I’m defenseless against. I put down my book in defeat and sighed. “You mean perform some Herculean feat, or unravel an impossibly tangled Gordian knot?” “Yeah, like … Continue reading Gordian knot
Thin spiral notebook 